[wildmusings]

It seems that the key lesson is that to minimize the horrible nature of human politics: have less government and more poles of power within it.

This is the design goal of the US Constitution, from the federal nature of the system to the gridlock-by-design of the central government.

[kilotaras]

> more poles of power

Yet two-party system is opposite of that.

[wildmusings]

I meant between the actual institutions of government, but you raise a good point.

I think that proportional representation is worse. Let's say you have the following election split: 45% Conservative, 45% Socialist, 10% Green. In such a scenario, the Green Party becomes king-maker and wields enormous power nearly equal to whoever it chooses as coalition partner and highly disproportionate to its tiny share of the vote.