Let’s Rethink Parliament: Designing For Time

Long-term thinking doesn’t survive on good intentions.

It survives when institutions make it safe to plan beyond the next headline.

Other countries quietly design for that.

#LetsRethink #Governance #ComparativePolitics #UKPolitics

https://hysnapsmusicandmentalhealth.wordpress.com/2026/03/02/lets-rethink-parliament-designing-for-time/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

📘 When is economic upgrading successful and when does it fail?

'In Pursuit of Prosperity : Industrial Policy and the Politics of Economic Upgrading' - an #OpenAccess book from Michigan Publishing on #ScienceOpen 👉 https://www.scienceopen.com/book?vid=8532ea79-95ef-4a8b-a697-674d3b40e5b4

#PoliticalEconomy #IndustrialPolicy #EconomicDevelopment #ComparativePolitics

Russia: Centralized in Practice

Officially a federation: Has "federal subjects" like republics and oblasts with their own constitutions.

But... power is very centralized: The Kremlin (central government) heavily controls most political and economic decisions.

Autonomy often symbolic: Regions have limited ability to go against central policies.

Strongman politics: Central authority overrides local decisions if needed.

Spirit of Federalism?
Weak in practice. Centralized control dominates despite federal structure.

#RussianFederalism #KremlinControl #Centralization #PutinPolitics #AuthoritarianRule #FederalFacade #PoliticalScience #ComparativePolitics #AutonomyMyth #PowerCentralization #RussiaUkraineWar #Geopolitics #ConstitutionalFarce #StateSovereignty #OligarchRule #Decentralization #PoliticalHypocrisy #StrongmanPolitics #RegimeTypes #EurasianPolitics

United States (USA): Strong Federalism Spirit

States have real power: Each state has its own constitution, laws (e.g. on education, taxes, even abortion), and judiciary.

Clear federal-state boundaries: Powers are divided under the U.S. Constitution. The federal government cannot interfere with state matters without legal basis.

Autonomy respected: States can disagree with federal government and even sue it.

Political diversity: States can lean conservative or liberal and set very different policies.

Spirit of Federalism?
Very strong. States are treated as equal partners.

#Federalism #USPolitics #StateRights #Malaysia #MA63 #Decentralization #ConstitutionalLaw #PoliticalAutonomy #Sarawak #Sabah #ComparativePolitics #FederalvsState #Democracy #Governance #PolicyDiversity #LegalSovereignty #Petros #Petronas #ResourceRights #PoliticalScience

Deposed Latin American autocrats and their exiled supporters are a potent force in Florida politics, and on US foreign policy by extension. This is a long running issue. But the independent operations that run counter to US interests by them, recently in Venezuela, Brazil, and Haiti, maybe a new phenomenon.

#politicalscience
#ComparativePolitics
#internationalrelations

There appears to be a putsch attempt in Brazil, akin to Jan 6 with supporters of ex-president Bolsanoro forcibly entering the Brazilian parliament, presidential palace, and the Supreme Court.

#internationalrelations
#politicalscience
#ComparativePolitics

A weird characteristic of current American politics is that people whose economic, professional, and personal preferences would previously make them self identify as Republicans, now identify themselves as Democrats. A fall out from the radicalized, aged, and downwardly mobile image of being a Republican. I wonder if this "respectability" cleavage exists in other societies?

#politicalscience
#ComparativePolitics