Romany

I agree that democracy is probably the best system but it has flaws that we should be aware of. The biggest is that the masses do vote for the public purse; the Greeks knew about it and so did people like Jefferson. I would also add that the American constitution is a good document but unfortunately any and everything can be corrupted / misinterpreted beyond recognition.

On closer inspection it is in fact the debt based monetary system that is just as important as the political system. In other words if politicians were able to print money they would and the world would have collapsed many times over the past few hundred years. Thus its credit and the seriousness of debt that has kept the peace more that political will. This is why the printing of money as in happening in the UK is so dangerous; trust has been broken and revolution may occur as this is where hyperinflation leads

IMO. the way to go, as mentioned earlier, are C.I.R.
Citizen Initiated Referenda, that are legally binding on the Gov'.
Get up a petition, get enough people to support it, then it MUST be put to a referendum, and acted on if passed. I just can't see any way to bring this in, obviously the existing power groups will resist it to the death, and they'll have the Media onside too, vested interests are vested interests after all. I suspect that a popular movement now might work, but the situations going to get a lot worse before you'll get most people off the backsides, and away from the telly!
There is a drawback to cir's though, it makes us more vulnerable to demagogues, and just imagine if one had been started in america after 9/11, it would have made the Homelands Security Act look like the boy-scout's handbook! Mob- mentality can be a dangerous thing, and just imagine if Murdoch or Packer or such decided to promote an issue, the power to warp minds nowadays is scary as all get-out, that would put even more in their hands! Bears thinking about, doesn't it.
I've always said the "natural" power structure for humans is the Tribe, or Clan, and since we've started congregating in larger numbers, we have'nt found one that works, some-one always pays a hard price. I just can't think what would work, and nor can finer minds than mine, lol, perhaps computer technology will finally supply it?