A different approach to power structure laws

[Helmut von Dandy]

I've been mulling over some ideas at how power structure laws could be better divided. At the moment I find some of the choices in these laws a weird mix of abstract and specific, and the division between governance principles and distribution of power feels pretty arbitrary.

An alternative I've come up with is 3 law groups that determine where power comes from. Note that I'm assuming pretty much all other systems remain the same, so there's no election system, parliament, bicameralism, cabinet or anything like that being introduced. They're just laws, so they might even be possible in a mod.

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The law groups would be:

• Head of State – These laws determine how the Head of State is appointed.
• Selection of Government – These laws determine the makeup of Government.
• Distribution of Power – These laws determine whether foreign relations and law enactment are conducted by the Head of State, Government, or both.

The Head of State laws would be:

• Monarchy – The Head of State is a hereditary monarch.
• Presidency – The Head of State is a non-hereditary position outside of Government.
• Unified Executive – The Head of State is the leader of the largest group in Government.
• Colonial Administration – The Head of State is appointed by a colonial overlord. Swapped to Monarchy on Dominion status if overlord is a Monarchy.
• Collective Leadership – There is no Head of State.

The Selection of Government laws would be:

• Advisory Council – Government is a council appointed by the Head of State. Legitimacy comes from compatibility with the Ruler.
• Landed Voting – Government is a parliament elected by those who own land. Legitimacy comes from a vote of landholding pops*.
• Wealth Voting – Government is a parliament elected by those who meet wealth requirements. Legitimacy comes from a vote of wealthy pops.
• Census Suffrage – Government is a parliament elected by those of sufficient status. Legitimacy comes from a vote of middle and upper strata pops.
• Universal Suffrage – Government is a parliament elected by all adult citizens. Legitimacy comes from a vote of all pops.
• Workers' Councils – Government is council of delegates from regional workers' councils. Legitimacy comes from a vote of working pops**.
• Gentry Assembly – Government is an assembly of the largest landholders. Legitimacy comes from including the Landowners.
• Military Committee – Government is a committee of military officers. Legitimacy comes from including the Armed Forces.
• Clerical Body – Government is a body of high ranking clerics. Legitimacy comes from including the Devout.
• Chamber of Commerce – Government is a body of business leaders. Legitimacy comes from including the Industrialists and Petite Bourgeoisie.
• Corporate State – Government is a body of representatives from each interest group. Legitimacy comes from including more interest groups.
• Single-Party State – Government is a political party. Legitimacy comes from being the largest party in government at the time of enactment.

* Pops that receive dividends in Manor Houses or Agricultural Buildings.
** Pops that receive a wage.

The Distribution of Power laws would be:

• Autocracy – Power is derived exclusively from the Head of State. Government is a powerless advisory body. Disallowed by Collective Leadership.
• Separation of Powers – Power is derived from both the Government and the Head of State. Disallowed by Collective Leadership and Unified Executive.
• Legislative Supremacy – Power is derived exclusively from the Government. Head of State is a ceremonial position.
• Anarchy – Power is derived exclusively from the population. Legitimacy is always 100, but pops are radicalised by their own lack of clout.

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Here's some examples of how these laws could represent different forms of government:

• Absolute Monarchy – Monarchy + Advisory Council + Autocracy.
• Feudalism – Monarchy + Gentry Assembly + Separation of Powers.
• Constitutional Monarchy – Monarchy + Voting + Legislative Supremacy.
• Presidential Republic – Presidency + Voting + Separation of Powers.
• Parliamentary Republic – Presidency + Voting + Legislative Supremacy.
• Council Republic – Collective Leadership + Workers' Councils + Legislative Supremacy.
• Theocracy – Unified Executive + Clerical Body + Legislative Supremacy.
• Oligarchy – Collective Leadership + Gentry Assembly or Chamber of Commerce + Legislative Supremacy

Some examples of how some historical governments could be represented:

• British Reform Act 1832 – Monarchy + Landed Voting + Legislative Supremacy.
• British Reform Act 1867 – Monarchy + Census Suffrage + Legislative Supremacy.
• British Reform Act 1918 – Monarchy + Universal Suffrage + Legislative Supremacy.
• New South Wales 1823 – Colonial Administration + Advisory Council + Autocracy.
• New South Welsh Electoral Act 1851 – Colonial Administration + Landed Voting + Separation of Powers.
• New South Welsh Electoral Act 1856 – Colonial Administration + Landed Voting + Legislative Supremacy.
• New South Welsh Electoral Act 1858 – Colonial Administration + Universal Suffrage + Legislative Supremacy.
• Australia 1901 – Monarchy + Universal Suffrage + Legislative Supremacy.
• French Second Republic – Presidency + Universal Suffrage + Separation of Powers.
• Prussian Constitution 1850 – Monarchy + Census Suffrage + Separation of Powers.
• Russian Fundamental Laws 1906 – Monarchy + Census Suffrage + Autocracy.
• Fascist Italy – Monarchy + Single-Party State + Legislative Supremacy.
• Nazi Germany – Presidency + Single-Party State + Autocracy.
• Late imperial Japan – Monarchy + Military Committee + Legislative Supremacy.
• United States of America – Presidency + Universal Suffrage + Separation of Powers.
• Vatican City - Unified Executive + Clerical Body + Autocracy.

I'm not an expert in many of these places, so some of those are probably wrong, but you get the idea. Also note that women's suffrage and minority rights are separate laws, so references to universal suffrage are to universal accepted male suffrage.

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Law variants could expand this even further. In particular I think variants of Separation of Powers could vary exactly what the balance of power between the executive and government is under different historical systems, and variants of Census Suffrage could vary exactly how votes were apportioned in censitary systems.