Democracy in the 20th Centuries Essay

From the early 1840s to the present day, a democracy can be described as a flawed establishment which has been shaped by the power of wealth and control, complex social relations, and most importantly the people’s desire to live a fulfilling life. Throughout this time period the principles of democracy, such as equality, protection of the people’s interest, and promotion of human rights were shifting in order to increase the democracy efficiency. Therefore the continued importance of the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and Constitution remain significant since, in American today, democracy is a system that is continuously being shaped by the people within it.

The definition of democracy is “a government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system” . In other words, democracy is freedom. A government set up by the people and for the people. This beautiful government was set up by an outstanding group of men that were able to come together and compromise through some of the hardest times in American history. Americans are extremely blessed to live in the country we live in and to have the type of government we have. So many countries around the world have citizens that have no control of how their country is ruled, or who it is ruled by. There are still dictatorships and

It is observed through many generations democracy has provided equality, freedom, representation, and many other factors to contribute to the United States. We can see that the initial posterity that the founding fathers were hoping, have been achieved by the father’s enforcement through democracy. Generations are now taking advantage of their democratic right, and are influence on how the government is being ran as for the people and by the

Democracy is known as a system of government when all eligible people of a state can voice their own opinions as well as elect representatives. Democracy is not once mentioned in The Declaration of Independence. Pros of a democracy are, its by the people and for the people. Democracy is meant for everybody to be eligible to vote and they are able to vote. The people are also able to participate in what they think, feel , and voice about the political, social, and economic issues that are presented to them. It's in the people's best interest not just the governments. The goal is to find solutions with decision-makers best interest. The main goal is to is find solutions that are best for the people and regulate conflicts between states and government.  A democracy imposes equality, the people's votes carry the same weight, which makes all individuals to be heard and make them feel as if their opinion is important. Other than in elections of the state a citizens

Observation 1: when we talk about promoting democracy, there are many ways to carry out this promotion. The United States is not obligated to take one course of action. Rather, the US can alter and adjust its approach to what is most suitable for that situation. Different tools might be appropriate at different points of time as well as differing based on the severity of the situation.

By far, one of the greatest achievements of humanity as a whole has been the development of democracy. This idea sprouted with the growth of history’s most successful and innovative civilizations; the Greeks and the Romans. Their enormous populations called for a fair and just way of governing. Why not allow control to stem from the populations own members? This logical way of thought is still evident in the world today, especially in the democracy of the United States of America. Upon examination of America’s most valuable texts, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, it becomes very evident that many of these modern ideas can be traced back in time to the beliefs of the Greeks and Romans. The principles of democracy were very successful within these ancient societies, as they are successful within America today.

This democracy protects our freedoms and rights to be our own individuals. Unlike in many other countries, we have the power to choose different pathways which help lead us towards where we want to head in our lives. For example, the choice of school or profession. Being part of a democracy also means that you have the chance to contribute. We are given the power to vote for our president and many other important positions in the government.

A democracy is a system of government by the majority of the population or all the eligible members of a state, which is mainly through elected representatives. Citizens or elect representatives have the power to take it upon themselves to from a governing body, such as a parliament. Democracy is not working as originally intended. In the past, women, African Americans, and Native Americans could not vote, only white males could. The president was actually supposed to be chosen by men of the Electoral College, which is the people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president. Not by the Electoral College approving the will of the people. Senators were supposed to be appointed

Some long standing societies have failed to become democratic, even with popular support for such a political system for many different reasons. One, tradition and change is hard. Some states have such a thick religious, cultural, etc. history that they do not know how to incorporate democracy with what their state has, needs and wants. Two, they do not want a democracy. They want to be different and try something new to become better or even equal to the presence that the United States used to play as the main actor of politics worldwide. They see the United States diminishing in ways that it does not wish to, so it does not go with the democracy route. Three, some leaders may find that fear works better than anything else. Isolating people

Democracy a universally recognized phenomenon refers to a government deriving its power from the people and being answerable to them (Fox 2008). President Abraham Lincoln (Gettysburg Address, 1863) said about democracy "...is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not vanish from this earth ‘ (Fox 2008). The foundations of democracy in America are found within, “The Declaration of Independence of 1776” and “The Constitution of 1789”, both products of the American Revolution where equality and the rights of man were the focus of their creation (Rodgers 2001). The first half of this paper discusses the notion that despite having the best institutional powers that uphold democratic functions within the American government, this doesn’t always translate into the perfect democratic election.

Democracy: A political system in which citizens enjoy a number of basic civil and political rights, and in which their most important political leaders are elected in free and fair elections and accountable under a rule of law (26). In the studies we have undertaken, comparing and exploring various countries and systems politically, economically, and psychologically throughout the quarter, this outcry of democracy has prevailed as a main theme. Successful countries such as the United States and Great Britain are based upon such democratic ideals. It is no wonder that countries have striven more recently toward this goal of democratization. Both the Russian and Mexican revolutions prove that democracy is an attainable goal in the next

For better or worse man has no choice but to live in society, but yet to live in society individuals are involved in multiple situations that lead to conflicts and disputes. Democracy is the only viable political framework and satisfactory for a society to move in harmony. Democracy allows us to find additional solutions that reflect the multitude of interests that exist in society. The authors of the books The Struggle for Democracy mention“ Some political thinkers think that democracy is the form of government that best protects human right because it is the only one based on a recognition of the intrinsic worth and equality or human beings.” (4) Democracy is good for the growth of a nation, through democracy people have been able to manifest in a peaceful way their needs, making agreements and disagreements, from my point of view, between this and other facts have led the United States to be a great nation. Democracy is a way to govern the people of a nation where every citizen agrees to the way the government governs the people. In other words, the people is part of the democracy. But, it has been with the help of the important factors that United States has achieve a fair political democracy. Next, you will find the three main features of Representative democracy of United States (Popular Sovereignty, Political Equality and Political Liberty)

Democracy is defined as a form of government that is ruled by the people. That is, rather than a single or a small group of leaders, democracy obligates the citizens who are affected by the law to collectively create the law through active participation. The United States is a nation that prides itself as a democracy, built on rule by the people via elected representatives. However, the electoral college system and other institutions within the electoral process actually inhibit many democratic values. This, paired with remarkably low voter turnout rates, leaves political decisions to be made by those in power rather than the people. To overcome this, it is necessary to go beyond elections as the central form of political participation. Likewise,

Churchill’s claim that “democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried” is deliberately provocative and intended to challenge the reader’s simplistic ideal that democracy is without faults. There are an estimated 114 democracies in the world today (Wong, Oct 3rd lecture). A figure that has increased rapidly in the last century not necessarily because democracy is the best form of government, but primarily for reason that in practice, under stable social, economic and political conditions, it has the least limitations in comparison to other forms of government. Be it the transparency of a democratic government or the prevalence of majority rule, all subdivisions of democracy benefit and hinder its

Over the last century, the Middle East has been the location of ethnic rivalry, political and economic instability, religious conflict, territorial dispute and war. Much of this tension in the Middle East comes from the various interpretations of Islam and how the religion should be applied to politics and society. Over the last ten years, the United States and their allies have pushed to promote democracy in the Middle East. However, they too have many obstacles they must overcome. They face problems such as the compatibility of Islamic law and democracy, the issue of women’s rights, and there is always the problem of how to go about implementing a democratic reform in these countries. Many initially would assume that it is only the