Switzerland's system of direct democracy - Less government power, more people power

With computers, mobile phones, cars and other things we use on a daily basis, we have come to expect that they will improve every couple of years. We expect that things become easier to use, more efficient, faster, more intuitive. Yet when it comes to government, many people have the attitude that "It's not perfect, but it's the best we've got." Few people think about how government could be improved at a systemic level. They cheer for new presidential candidates, and if their candidate gets elected, they believe it's progress. However, that is something superficial when it comes to the structure of government. Real change in a system requires changing incentives, not just a change of figurehead.

One political system which is very different to most modern governments is the Swiss system of direct democracy. In Swiss direct democracy, anyone can start an initiative to change the federal constitution, get popular support of 100,000 citizens, and present it to parliament. The parliament can then recommend the initiative, reject it, or propose an alternative. No matter what they do, the citizens will decide by referendum, to accept the change, accept parliament's proposal, or to keep the constitution as it was.

The Swiss government holds frequent referendums - people voted on 13 propositions in 2016 alone. Referendums on constitutional changes are mandatory, and a referendum for a change on a law or budget is held if 50,000 citizens demand it.

In most modern democracies, there are only 2 major parties - 3 if you're lucky. Switzerland has 5 major parties, and it may be due to this system of referendums. If one of the five parties is defeated in parliament, they can call for a referendum to block the law. That means political parties have a greater incentive to be on the side of the people. It also means that citizens have an incentive to be politically informed, as they have more power to make a difference.

Cruelty-free government is the idea that you should have choice in government, and that governments should be free to experiment. If you believe that direct democracy is superior to representative democracy, you should be free to choose that type of governance, and combine with a community that shares your values. Through experimentation and choice of constituents, governments will learn to better serve your needs.