Technology as an enabler of police states - yes, it is, and judging by current events, pretty much irresistible to a lot of governments. I would imaging that this will balance out, as technology diffuses further into society and matures, but who knows. Two party systems - yes, again. They roundly suck. Someone really needs to figure out how to break the US, UK, Canada, etc.. out of the death grip of their two party local minima. How do you convince people that some form of PR is much better - and then fight the huge incumbent party machines which oppose it?