Bhutan, after prioritizing happiness, now faces an existential crisis

King thinks democracy is a great idea. Everyone rejects it. King institutes it anyway.

Wait a second...

Similar situation in the US:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/10/72-of-ame...

Interesting how a process based on the will of the majority can also be disapproved of by the majority.

That's just true, but people were wrong before when they thought we were good (and they may be wrong now about why we're a bad example).

There's a reason that when we (anyone, really, but even the US) let the policy nerds set up a democracy somewhere else, they usually don't model much or any of it on the US. The system's not been regarded as especially good, as systems of democracy go, since not later than the early 20th century, as it became clear that not only does it have serious problems, but some of those are extremely resistant to repair.

I think the 3/5ths compromise is a good highlight of the poorness of the model of democracy the USA established from its formation. "A democracy of the people but only 3/5 of those people who only have a voice by proxy entrusted to their captives", falls quite short of an ideal model.