ChatGPT said:
That’s a fascinating question. The collegial forms of government in Switzerland, Soviet Ukraine during the First World War period, and the French Directory all featured elements of collective executive power — but their inspirations and ideological underpinnings differ, though there are some indirect influences.
Here’s a breakdown:
1. French Directory (1795–1799)
- Structure: The Directory was a five-man executive government, established after the fall of the Jacobin-led Committee of Public Safety. It aimed to avoid concentration of power and promote moderation after the Terror.
- Ideological Basis: It was based on liberal constitutionalism, separation of powers, and fear of both royalism and radical populism.
- Legacy: It was seen as an attempt to prevent dictatorship, but ultimately failed and was overthrown by Napoleon.
2. Switzerland
- Long-standing Collegial Tradition: Swiss collective governance predates the French Directory by centuries. The Swiss Confederation was historically a loose alliance of cantons, each with considerable autonomy, governed through landsgemeinde (popular assemblies) or small councils.
- Federal Council (1848–present): The Swiss Federal Council, a seven-member collegial executive, was formally established in the modern Swiss Constitution of 1848, influenced by both:
- Enlightenment and liberal ideas (like separation of powers),
- And indigenous Swiss traditions of decentralized, non-personalist rule.
- Connection to the Directory? Not direct. The Swiss model wasn’t inspired by the French Directory, but they share a mutual distrust of singular executive power, likely shaped by similar Enlightenment ideals. If anything, the Swiss system is more stable and institutionalized.
3. Soviet Ukraine during WWI / Revolution (1917–1921)
- Background: Soviet Ukraine underwent several regime changes during and after WWI. At different points, the Ukrainian People’s Republic, the Hetmanate, and Soviet regimes vied for power.
- Soviet Model: The Bolshevik approach to governance was based on collective leadership through soviets (workers’ councils), party committees, and collegial organs at multiple levels.
- Collegiality in Soviet Ukraine: Yes, governments such as the All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee functioned as collective organs. The Council of People’s Commissars (Sovnarkom) in both Russia and Ukraine were nominally collegial.
- Connection to the Directory? No direct inspiration. The Soviet form of collegial government was rooted in Marxist-Leninist ideology, emphasizing proletarian rule and collective leadership, not liberal constitutionalism like the French Directory.
Summary Comparison
| Government | Time Period | Collegial? | Inspired by French Directory? | Real Influences |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Directory | 1795–1799 | Yes | — | Enlightenment, fear of autocracy |
| Switzerland | Longstanding (esp. 1848–) | Yes | Not directly | Swiss cantonal traditions, liberalism |
| Soviet Ukraine | 1917–1921 | Yes | No | Marxism-Leninism, Soviet Russia |
Conclusion
While all three used collegial executive structures, the French Directory wasn’t a direct inspiration for either Switzerland or Soviet Ukraine. Rather, the similarities arise from broader currents:
- In Switzerland, from longstanding federal-democratic traditions.
- In Soviet Ukraine, from Bolshevik revolutionary collectivism.
- In France, from a post-Terror reaction against centralized tyranny.
So: similar forms, different roots.