I found this an interesting but no wholly persuasive analysis, especially concerning the idea of a "permanent task force" of "senior individuals". Israel has plenty of experience with commissions and task forces. What's missing is accountability, and it's systemic. The Platonic notion of philosopher kings, of a "wise elite", has been adopted by liberals everywhere. But an assembly of those who "know better" usually doesn't. What Israel needs is direct, accountable representation which will represent their electorate, not the parties. If they do their job, they can be reelected. Otherwise, they're out. And it is through these accountable representatives that Israel can move to a system of true checks and balances, which is also absent today. Today the Supreme Court's members are approved not by those accountable representatives, but again by that "wise elite". Not surprisingly, they no longer command broad support. Yes, a Constitution would also help, but we're too divided, too contentious, and too "stiff necked" a people to agree on one today. But given true accountability the consensus can nonetheless win out.

A politburo. Italian fascist unable to get printed in Europe.....

The upheavals in the West have absolutely nothing to do with the nature of democracy or republican forms of government. The credit markets collapsed in October 2008, and everything that has ensued since is directly related to the inability of the markets to recover. We saw pretty much the same thing during the Great Depression. People are out of work, there is no sense that any country will recover any time soon. The United States worked its way out of the Great Depression via World War II, but that is not going to work again. We are already embroiled in several wars, but it hasn't helped the military industrial complex, which is the bellwether of all modern industrialized nations. The U.S. -- and most other countries -- do not have the wherewithal to start massive public works projects so we cannot resort to that, either. We live in very uncertain and scary times; what you are seeing in the U.K. and other Western countries is simply a reflection of that. It is not a reflection on democracy itself. Europe is toast anyway -- I give the EU eight to ten months before it collapses under its own weight -- and the likely decision by France and Germany that they no longer wish to carry the burden of the eleven member states that have already gone bankrupt or are about to do so. Frankly, the European Union was a pretty stupid idea to begin with ....

Something happening in the world. The nations begin to scroll one by one. Democracy itself is not a panacea, but a democratic form of government gives OPPORTUNITIES. In democracy you can live well, but maybe worse. Without democracy obligatory life is bad. Israeli protests are civilized - there are protests, but not riots. Dr. Gerstenfeld is right - may accumulate an experience of foreign disaster in the future to avoid it.

you can not devide the policy from the economic in any sociaty andin israil it is more special and sensitive .. it is not becouse of western democracy but becouse of justice in any sociaty ..minors were in evry sociaty once force was the rule but nowadays it is differ specialy becouse of the computers // it is not the problem but it is the time changed people but justice is whatevry citizin aske // sure pure justice can not be reached but rsearch make it better and in both arms policy and economic

Manfred G. is on solid ground. This is an insightful essay.

with elation. it can lead to freedom. or, conservatives must be magnaminous but must dump their fantastic hope that alienated people in a milieu that encourages and sanctifies that alienation will all of a sudden become stalwart defenders of (your) world's largest corporations. alienated people? now that IS a challenge to authority, especially one that has pretentions to being moral. as the writer is obviously of a higher social, caste, and other standings, excuse me whilst i exaggeratedly tug my forelock. lol.

In 2008, the solution wa very simple: either save the L. broths or no help to any bank. In the latter case several banks would had gone under and the unemployment would had gone to 6% (no more). In November, 2008, it was only 6.2 when Obama was elected. Those bankers would had found other jobs in NYC (like working in restorants or trading from their villas).