I really want to like the Democracy games. I've owned 2 and 3 from various sources, and every few months I try again to play them. But I can't. The effects of what you do are just insane.

For instance, somehow they have it such that legalizing drugs DIRECTLY AND QUITE STRONGLY *increases* crime.

It does ^^

Well, it depends on which drugs you legalize and and also other factors. In fact, if you legalize drugs it DECREASES the organized crime but may increase the ordinary crime. Also it depends if the drugs are expensive (due taxation), how much do you spend in police forces, if there are social programs or not,... While legalize cannabis is not very difficult, completely legalize all drugs can be a very difficult task to handle.