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Some parts of NZ are indeed captured (like the HRC) but mostly by ideological ideas rather than by wealthy sociopaths. Other parts are not. The two big parties mostly give you the same product in a different colored wrapper, and the mainstream media is a mouthpiece of the government and especially of the left (and we have really good underground media fighting back - Reality Check Radio).

But in my opinion, less of the infrastructure, the voting, the courts, etc, are captured. Small parties get into parliament and make a difference.

Also, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit, New Zealand ranks 2nd in terms of democracies at a score of 9.61, while the US is at 7.85 and falling. Greece, the Czech Republic, Estonia... all score higher than the USA.

j 2y ago

Interesting perspective, thanks.

Something that makes me think the US is better of than countries like NZ is the rate and amount of gun ownership. Nowhere else compares.

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j 2y ago

It seems like everywhere else, you just have to sit and wait as every institution is corrupted. In the US, you sit and wait too, but with a huge collection of guns.

Mike Dilger ☑️ 2y ago

Switzerland at least used to be that every man of a certain age range was issued a rifle and a sealed canister of ammunition, and was periodically trained by the military, and if your canister was opened you had to explain why. Guns and ammo were controlled, but everybody had them.

New Zealand has gun onwership. 5% of people have firearms licences, and there are about 1 million guns among 5 million people, or about 4 guns on average for every licenced firearm owner. Gun laws are stricter: you must keep them in safes, and ammo/bolt in a separate safe. You must be approved by the police (e.g. not have a criminal record, not be a danger to yourself or society in any way). Pistols are much harder to get approved for so there aren't a lot of pistols, and for some dumb reason anything that looks scary has recently become illegal. I have a firearms license.

But nothing compares to America on this point.