The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

16 of 127 sessions
  1. 5 June 2026

    How should prosperity be distributed among citizens?

    Verdict

    Markets create wealth but cannot justify how it spreads. Government must guarantee floors without destroying the price signals that coordinate production.

    DemocracyEconomyGovernance
  2. 5 June 2026

    How should prosperity be distributed among citizens?

    Verdict

    Tax capital gains like wages, fund universal basic services, and democratize ownership gradually through sovereign wealth funds.

    DemocracyGeopoliticsEconomy
  3. 4 June 2026

    What political system best serves its people and the planet, and how should it account for externalities?

    Verdict

    Environmental protection requires both state capacity and democratic accountability. No system delivers both perfectly.

    Democracy
  4. 4 June 2026

    What purpose should a government or society organize itself around?

    Verdict

    Government should secure human welfare, but through markets, fairness, virtue, justice, or capabilities depends on what you value most.

    Economy
  5. 28 May 2026

    Can libertarian policy in western democracies lead to more growth and freedom?

    Verdict

    Libertarian policy delivers growth when institutions have failed, but who bears transition costs determines whether it enhances freedom.

    DemocracyEconomyGovernance
  6. 27 May 2026

    What actions must be taken today to ensure the future of next generations?

    Verdict

    Build institutions that survive electoral cycles and restore the environmental commons that sustain democracy itself.

    DemocracyGeopoliticsClimateGovernance
  7. 19 May 2026

    How can we structure Dutch democracy so that it works less divisively?

    Verdict

    Dutch democracy needs institutions that force hard decisions, but the council splits on whether centralized authority or distributed governance delivers them.

    DemocracyGovernanceNetherlands
  8. 17 May 2026

    Should Curaçao build wealth for the poor, and what benefits would that bring to society?

    Verdict

    Yes — wealth-building creates stakeholder citizens and social stability that welfare transfers cannot match.

    DemocracyEconomyNetherlands
  9. 9 May 2026

    How should wealth be distributed in a fully automated economy?

    Verdict

    Automation will concentrate wealth dangerously unless society redesigns who owns the machines.

    Economy
  10. 9 May 2026

    Do you think Trump was a good president of the United States?

    Verdict

    Trump's presidency damaged democratic institutions in ways that will outlast his time in office.

    DemocracyGovernance
  11. 8 May 2026

    How do we strengthen democracy?

    Verdict

    Democracy grows strong when people can act together to control what affects their lives.

    DemocracyGovernance
  12. 8 May 2026

    How can we adapt our democracy so that the interests of future generations are taken into account?

    Verdict

    Democracy must represent future generations through constitutional limits on irreversible decisions and institutions with long-term mandates.

    DemocracyGovernance
  13. 7 May 2026

    Why do technological developments reinforce inequality and how can we prevent that?

    Verdict

    Technology serves those who own it, but communities can govern it democratically if institutions give them real control over development and benefits.

    DemocracyEconomyTechnologyGovernance
  14. 6 May 2026

    How can trust in political leadership be restored in western democracies. Provide concrete steps and measures.

    Verdict

    Western democracies can restore trust through competent institutions or authentic participation, but not both simultaneously.

    DemocracyGovernance
  15. 26 April 2026

    Should the US impose a nationwide billionaires tax?

    Verdict

    The council establishes that extreme wealth concentration fundamentally alters the relationship between economic and political power, creating governance consequences that extend far beyond individual tax burdens.

    EconomyGovernance
  16. 25 April 2026

    Should the EU sanction Israel for its attacks on Gaza and Libanon?

    Verdict

    The systematic denial of basic rights to civilian populations creates legitimate grounds for international response that transcends alliance considerations and strategic relationships.

    GeopoliticsEconomyEuropeWarClimate