The Role Of Democracy In The United States Of America

Democracies have been around for hundreds of years, dating back to before the word democracy was created by the ancient Greeks. Democracies give the citizens of the nation power and let them have a say so 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 cases. 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.

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.

When the United States (or any other nation) is referred to as a “democratic republic” we then know two things about that nation’s system of government. First, the term “democratic” tells us that the citizens of a nation rule its government and that those citizens are afforded certain rights. These rights include the right of speech, free press, free elections, and religious freedom. Secondly, the term “republic” refers to the process of a nation’s citizens voting in/electing their own representatives. So, when someone describes the United States as a “democratic republic” they are simply stating that we the citizens rule our government, that we have certain rights, and that we choose our representatives. An example that demonstrates that the U.S. is a democratic government is our Constitution. Our constitution helps to limit the power of the government and keep the power in the hands of the people, therefore making us democratic. While an example illustrating that the U.S. is a republic is Election Day where we elect our president.

“We’re a Democracy”, by William P. Meyers, states that we have become a democracy overtime but we are also still a hint of a republic as well. People who are so against democracy only see democracy as a direct democracy. But in reality, there’s also the representative democracy, which is quite similar to a republic. Over the years, with the help of all the amendment changes the U.S. has moved greatly towards a democracy. I actually agree with Meyers, both of these forms of government choose representatives to speak on their behalf, so whose to say we don’t actually have a democracy.

The American Democracy is dramatically changing. In fact the government is not at its best place at the very moment, but it takes the voice and actions of the citizens to make it better. Our republic is built on laws, in which the American citizens have adapted to. Over the years, many things have altered in America, so the Republic should also modify itself, to equalize with how the world is today. There should be an adjustment to the ways of getting Americans involved. Social media is a perfect way to get started. Research says that President Barack Obama earned most votes through social media with online activity, to get the public to vote. Honestly, President Obama’s campaign showed the wonderful impact that social media can have on getting

In our very own Pledge of Allegiance it states “and to the republic for which it stands”. In school we are taught that the United States could be both and in a way they are right. However the way we operate as a country shows all the signs of a republic. A republic is defined as a form of government that in which the supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch. While a democracy is defined as form of government in which the people decide policy matters directly--through town hall meetings or by voting on ballot initiatives and referendums. The United States of America’s government is a republic rather than a democracy.

Because republican and democratic systems are similar in outward appearances, it is easy to understand why a lot of people are confused in thinking the American government is a democracy. The United States is not a true democracy but a blend of a republic and democratic system. Both systems are based on government by popular consent, and have many similar attributes but with specific details of ideology that set them apart from each other. Both systems also believe in safeguarding the rights of individuals but democracy has an emphasis on property rights. A republic is ruled by the people through layers of representatives that are elected to act on the behalf of the common good. While democracy is ruled by the people also, it can either be directly or indirectly. (pg. 17)

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

The United States Government is defined in many different ways. The most common that we hear are the forms of democracy and republic. Although very similar, these are very loose terms when it comes to categorizing our government. The respect for human rights and involvement of the nation’s people have been a main priority in the running of the government since the beginning. Unfortunately, over time, we are seeing our freedoms and individual participation in the governments decisions slowly declining in many aspects. This makes us question the government and our ultimates rights as citizens that we currently have. The support we have for democracy is our support towards religious freedom, worker rights, and also helps create a more stable and affluent system that manages our nation’s control and gives us the ability to have a bigger voices around the world.

Since the beginning of American Democracy it has been morphed from the founder’s format. With all its changes, it still functions as a well-constructed form of democracy that supports our nation. American democracy has both strengths and weaknesses. Government spending or over-spending is a core issue facing our nation in these economically troubled times. There are many points to be addressed regarding American government today.

Democracy is the solitary example of a genuine political system in most of the world. According to the text, “Today, sixty-two percent of the countries in the world are democracies.” For example, if the United States did not have the power to spread democracy, it could not influence the International Community to the benefit of national interests. The national interest of the United States not to spend limited resources on warfare when it can be used in a more productive manor. The growth of democracy puts the United States in smaller amounts of positions causing them to make the decision to go to war. A democracy generally does not go to combat with another democracy. The United States is a greatly functioned democracy. Along with Democracy,

In a democracy citizens are permitted to have a significant amount of influence on government through the election of government officials. This is known as Direct Democracy, which means that the citizens play a significant role on the laws and policies of the land. Although the liberty of voting is available, why is the voter turnout so low? Many other countries have a much larger vote turnout than the United States. The reason for this varies; some major points would be the Demographics, voting laws, and political favoritism/corruption that affect the voter turnout. When the people vote for a public figure they expect them to succumb to the will of the people, and not big

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

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