Democracy: How Democratic Is The United States

There is no doubt that the United States of America is a democracy, but how democratic are some of the components of our system of government? For example, the Electoral College is used when selecting the president of The United States, but the founders developed the Electoral College based on a theory of how it should work with no practical, real-world example of how it realistically works. Based on the three core principles of democracy which are popular sovereignty, political equality, and political freedom, the Electoral College falls short when assessed using these democratic values.

The word democracy elicits different perceptions from different people. Some may see democracy as only a government ruled directly by the people, in which the people write and choose laws directly. Others may include representative democracy in which representatives are chosen by the people to write, pass, and enforce laws. It is the latter view that would best describe America. In this sense, America is not a pure democracy, and few would ever say it was founded as one. However, the question remains: Is America a democracy. Though America as a whole has few direct ways for people to participate in the writing and enforcement of most laws, I would venture to say that American government should be considered a democracy. Indeed, democratic elements pervade the American political structure. The American republic would not be what it is without the necessary democratic elements that are used in the execution of governing.

The definition of democracy is a system of government in which the power vested in the people.This means that the government allows the people to make decisions Many people think that the U.S is pure democracy. However it’s proven not to be truly a democracy.

“How Democratic Is the American Consitution?” written by Robert A. Dahl is a novel that’s main purpose is to “suggest changes in the way we think about our constitution” (Dahl 2003, p.1). Robert A. Dahl revolves his book around a few questions. However, the main focus of all the questions are “why should we Americans uphold our constitution” (Dahl 2003, p.1)? This question is asked because he questions why we uphold something that was written more than two centuries ago. He also questions how democratic our society is because of our constitution. Dahl examines the fact that some Americans have no problem with the constitution as it is today and then he also states that some find it to lack in some crucial areas. Dahl explains that there are seven crucial areas in which the constitution lacks democracy. These include: slavery, suffrage, election of the president, choosing senators, equal representation in the Senate, Judicial power, and Congressional power.

Democracy, as it is used today, means “ the people rule.” A democracy is a form of government ruled by the people of the country through elections and representation. A democracy is really a form of republic known as a democratic republic. A republic is a government where officials elected by a small group of people that make the important decisions.

It is extremely important for Americans and the rest of the world that America is a democracy. Democracy has been the foundation that has allowed for such a diverse populace to coexist and thrive. America is seen as the golden standard and models the benefits that come along with being a representative democracy. While democracy has allowed America to prosper as a multicultural society, it is increasingly becoming fragile. Certain aspects of American democracy like the electoral college, gerrymandering and lower voter turnout further threaten the democratic nature of America.

How democratic is the United States of America? Not very many people ask themselves this question because since they live in the United States they don't believe that they have to ask this to themselves. All of the United States citizens just assume that they have a very democratic nation only because that's what everybody says about this county. But in reality for those how have been educated about the real America. It just doesn't seem that democratic at all.

In the United States we praise democracy and are proud to be a very democratic nation. The United States constitution was the first to demonstrate a formal blueprint for modern democracy in 1788. The democratic system today is still based on the restricted franchise, but the American system today points towards a fully democratic system more than anywhere else in the world. The American democracy mainly arrived from the Britain. It was in 1796 elections when John Adam was elected as the federalist president and Thomas Jefferson was elected the democratic-republican vice president. Than in 1800 Jefferson won the elections, beginning an everlasting democratic-republican rule (History of Democracy: Democratic constitution

First, a democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is handed to the people

In all actuality, the United States is not a true democracy. This is largely due to the fact that many of the people in the country do not take part in its political process, choosing instead to merely function as spectators and consumers. There is a very finite number of people who actually do take part in this process certainly no more than 50 percent (in a liberal estimate) and probably limited to approximately 25 percent most of the time. When one considers this aspect of the extremely limited form of U.S. democracy due to the circumscribed involvement of the majority of its citizens, it means that essentially the country's future, and that for the rest of the world, will be determined by a small, select group of individuals typically the ones financing campaigns and ensuring that measures representing their interests are enacted. In essence, then, an oligarchy will determine the future of the country and that of the rest of the world.

A democracy is a government by the people, in which the power is vested in the people themselves. The people then elect representatives who conduct their power in a free electoral system. The Declaration of Independence, which says that all men are created equal, was written on the premise of a democracy.

exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections”. (“Definition of Democracy”). A democracy is a form of government that relies heavily on the input on the people it governs.

Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Democracy allows eligible citizens to participate equally—either directly or through elected representatives—in the proposal, development, and creation of laws. It encompasses social, economic and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal practice of political self-determination.

Democracy is a governmental system in which the ruling power is not biased towards any group. It is a system in which the favor of the majority sets the rules, yet does not override the rights of minorities. The essence of democracy is freedom and civilian involvement in Government affairs. In a democratic state, acts of government must be, and are in accordance with the people, since they have the right to elect and usurp their leaders, and the right to choose the lines of policy. Nevertheless, democracy is somewhat a matter of controversy, and no complete expression has yet been given to its principles.

According to the Oxford dictionary online democracy is defined as, "A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives" (Oxford, 2014). In other words the population of a nation or land participates in the government. This participation is typically done by elections. Democracy has changed throughout history. In the past the population is the government; today most often the people will appoint individuals to represent them. Each of these styles of government has an unique way of dividing up the power between the electors and the elected. The models of democracy may be different but the conditions needed to obtain democracy are the same; how those conditions are acquired is debated.