Today, this notable statement is often quoted as the definition of our nation’s democracy. Our Federal Government is a democracy whereby the people elect representatives to enact laws on their behalf. In the state of Florida, however, the citizens can bypass the representative democracy of the state and vote for amendments which can amend the state constitution directly. At times, the state’s representatives may be opposed to enact certain legislature, possibly due to political pressure, and the citizens can vote to enact that legislature in the form of amendments despite the state representative’s opposition.
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
There are five principles of democracy that our government is based off of. The five principles of democracy is Popular Sovereignty, Rule of Law, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances, and Federalism. I think there are principles that are more important than others. These principles are important because they help shape the government.
What is democracy, do we really understand the concept and the implications of the freedoms that our society enjoys. Democracy by definition is a “government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections”.(1) The United States democracy in current times can be a difficult situation to grasp, due to the fact that we are operating off of the Constitution written over 200 years ago, and individuals modern
One of the more complex and broad, in scope, pieces of our studies this semester has been the research of Gerrymandering. While the essence and defining traits of Gerrymandering are simple in nature, the complexities of the effects on American democracy and the everyday lives of the citizens the nation holds are of the most intricate I have personally come across. The astonishing aspect is not in the act of gerrymandering, no, if that was the case it would be illegal or constantly trying to be debunked by the majority of the populace. The astonishing facet of this systematic disruptor is the lack of knowledge and care by the common citizen. The mere acceptance of what they think is normal is quite bewildering and gives more reason to me why our state of the union is limping at the knees like it is. I cherish the ways of a republican ran nation, I love the adrenaline of capitalism alongside economic and social mobility. Yet at my most humane self, I am a liberal at heart who cherishes the ideals of direct democracy like that of the Athenians in Greece BCE. Growing up and having a somewhat tangible aspect of voting and outcomes, I had honestly thought that we lived in a direct democracy where everyone votes and is equal, where nothing was skewed. As I have reached past years of a pubescent psyche and study into the realities of American democracy the truth is ever so troubling, not because of the actions but because of hopeful ideas that everything is not skewed and
Democracies have been around for hundreds of years, dating back before the word democracy was created by the ancient Greeks. Democracies give the citizens of the nation power and let them have a say in politics. Also, the people have many freedoms guaranteed to them, unlike other types of government. The people elect local, state, and national government officials. The local government deals with many different issues. State government shares most of its power with the national government. Lastly, the national government oversees all the smaller forms of government in the land. [Thesis] American Democracy fits the definition of democracy because the people are represented fairly through local, state, and national government.
We live in this country for the land, and the for the free as Americans we rely on many attributes in this world in order for us to live our lives. Our government has supplied us with many great things for us to be proud of. Our government is “the institutions and processes though which public policies are made for society.” (Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry, p. 7). With all these institutions which includes the President, Congress, the courts and all the federal administrative agencies. These are the institutions that make up public policies for us, and to shape the way we live as Americans. The way this system has been operating through all the years has been
Accurately defined, a democracy is a form of government in which the people decide policy matters directly through town hall meetings or by voting on ballot initiatives and referendums. A republic, however, is a system in which the people choose representatives who, in turn, make policy decisions on their behalf. So, when the question is posed “how democratic is the United States” it becomes hard to answer with so many other factors that you must include. For example, having an Electoral College voting system is not democratic due to the fact that not every voice is heard and or counted. Another problem is that when the founders considered various forms of government they were extremely fearful of pure democracy. Everything they read and studied
In America every four years there is a presidential election. America is one of the leading democratic countries in the world. But other countries around the world are not as democratic as the USA or not even close to democracy. Many countries around the world like Russia and most African countries are led by dictators. Dictator regime to be elected again and again into the office of the leadership is as simple us counterfeiting the election and it ends up as fraud and nominal leading for the same leader being elected to be in the office for the 20th year. Here in the United States of America there is no place for such kinds of
We are going to take an in-depth look at how direct democracy works in Florida, and in particular what it means for initiatives, referendums, and recalls. We will then look at some of the state’s important laws that were enacted through the initiative process as well as some of the problems with the system as it stands today. The state passed a ‘Florida Supermajority Requirement Amendment’ or better known as ‘Amendment 3’ in November of 2006 requiring that all constitutional amendments went from a majority (50% = 1) to a supermajority (60%) vote requirement for passage. Ironically this amendment was approved by a 57.8% vote. The effect that has had and will continue to have on Florida’s politics will be looked at as well, highlighting the good
Throughout the early historical development of our country’s political systems, there were many events that occurred in which influenced new laws. One of the most significant systems implemented was the drafting of the U.S. Constitutions in 1787. These laws helped established America 's national government and fundamental laws as well as guaranteed our citizens equal rights. Robert Dahl brought new light on the issue of how our nation views the U.S. Constitution and how effective it came to be. Most importantly, there is the possibility that Americans have the ability to alter the Constitution when it is needed. In Dahl’s book “How Democratic is the U.S. Constitution?”, he makes us think deeper into the complexities of how the ideals of democracy were framed.
Although the nation's past showed weak democratic skills, at the time what the Founding Fathers were inneciating was extravagant and brought many people to America. With the rights that the United States supports, citizens are free to vote, run for a political position, and so forth. For example, Donald Trump, who has never held political office has run for a political position and has become the presidential candidate of a major political party. Another way that America shows democracy is that at a state level the people can use a referendum to approval or disapprove on a topic. For example, a referendum on the subject of the legalization of marijuana was introduced in the state of California, which allowed the people of California to vote on the behalf of the use of marijuana in their state. While America’s democracy has its failures, the country has come a long way in its inclusion of all citizens. In other words, America has become much closer to the vision of President Abraham Lincoln with a government “of the people, by the people, for the
Democracy is, according to the online Cambridge dictionary, ‘a system of government based on the belief in freedom and equality between people, in which power is either held by elected representatives or directly by the people themselves’. It is the policy that most western countries strive to achieve. It is now the pinnacle of government, that to achieve a wholly democratic nation is something worth celebrating. It is displayed as a universal good but it’s not everything that it has become known to be. I should clarify that I still think that I prefer it to nearly all other forms of government but nevertheless I still think that it is not what we have been led to believe it is. In this essay I will be outlining the key problems that could
When it comes to America fulfilling the three essential elements of democracy, I think America hits the non-tyranny element pretty well as they don't force anyone to go and get involved with political processes, but with political equality, and deliberation I feel we lack in those areas. For Political equality, Americans do have equal access in that any eligible voter can vote on the first Tuesday of November, but being fair for everyone is not the case as having people vote on the weekdays when people are usually working is terribly unequal. Most people can not get out of work, and if they did go vote, it could cost them money as they would have to take time off work to get it done. Fair elections in America are not as trustworthy as people
Within the United States of America, there seems to be a consensus that this land was and is made for the free people of the earth. Most of us believe that the democracy we have in place is infallible, that nothing short of God could destroy it. And although some of us have complaints with what the government is doing, most of us believe that our voices are heard loud and clear, if only we would be caring enough to say anything. Yet I believe there are pros and cons to our "democracy", that although there is representation, powers that we cannot control keep it from being what some would call total democracy. And to its credit, it might not even be a bad thing to keep it the way it is. Within this essay, I am first going to go over
"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated."- Confucius. It doesn't matter what phone you use or what shoes you wear as long as it suits the situation you are in. Things are only popular as you make them, things are only as valuable as you make them. I want to join NJHS to make people realize that everyone deserves to be equal and be able to enjoy the same standards.