The United States Political System

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 U.S. electoral system was created to give every citizen a say in who their elected officials should be, but this system has failed miserably. The right to vote is a basic right that needs be provided to every American regardless of such traits as political party, religion, or ethnicity. It is unethical to deny a person the right to vote and historically that has been a major problem in the United States. Our election system is completely corrupt and voter rights is not the only problem, strategically drawing voting districts is also a major issue. Our current electoral system is corrupt and unethical because of gerrymandering, the breaking down of the voter rights act, and voter ID laws.

In the United States of America, the political party system is pivotal to the function of our nation. The political party system in our society today is separated between the Democrats and the Republicans. Although political parties do possess uncertainties their advantages outweigh their drawbacks in America. The United States of America is made up of two basic political parties, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. A political party is a group of individuals who share similar interest and they work together with one another to construct and execute policies. The Democratic Party was established in 1828, by Andrew Jackson. The Democratic Party was created based on a belief in an unyielding government and an advocacy of social and

The American two-party system is the result of the way elections are structured in the United States. Representatives in the Congress and in state legislatures are elected to in single-member districts where the individual with the most votes wins. Seeing that only one party 's candidate can win in each district, there is a strong motivation for political candidates to organize themselves into two competing parties. By doing so, party members and candidates maximize their chances of winning elections. In some countries where there are multi-member districts, parties that win smaller percentages of the vote can often win legislative representation. Consequently, in such systems, there is an incentive to form smaller third parties. Other features of the American system of elections, such as campaign finance rules, the Electoral College, and rules giving party candidates ballot access further reinforce the two-party system in the United States. While third parties rarely win major elections, and never the presidency, they have been successful in changing the outcome of elections by withdrawing political support away from one of the two major party candidates. Whatever American system contains to encourage a two party system typically discourages the emergence of third parties. Ever since third parties have emerged in American political history, their successes have been short-lived. Most third parties try to build their support to become like one of the dominant parties, just

In the United States, we have a majority rule type of system where only one person represents an entire district of people. This system is extremely pluralized, which means that people will favor either extreme on the view of an issue. Due to these reasons, only two parties can coexist, and it is difficult for a third party to gain favor in the masses, which is Duverger’s Law. In the history of the United States, there has usually been two political parties that represented the views of the masses. Each of these parties had a certain way that they believed about the major issues of the time that were brought up or could be influenced by the government. The reason that only two parties have ever been able to establish themselves in government is because of the majority ruled system that our government has, and the love people have for having a definite answer rather than an indefinite one.

The Federalist papers instituted the several advantages of a Constitutional democracy. For instance, in a Constitutional democracy, the government is restricted by legal means so that the rights of individuals are respected (Quigley). As the Federalist No. 22 affirms, “the consent of the people” is the “pure,

Today, there exists the rift in the American political system marked by the ongoing clash between our political parties: the Republicans and the Democrats. These parties’ dissenting ideas seem to create non-stop conflict as each party relentlessly competes for the support and votes of the American people. However, over two hundred years ago in the early days of our country’s government, political parties did not even exist. Early leaders, such as the revered George Washington, feared that political parties would split our country into warring factions that would not only subvert our delicate notion of patriotism, but also weaken public support for the new Constitution. Nonetheless, despite opposition by Washington and others, political parties began to form, and over the years have developed into the familiar political system we have today. The chief factors that led to the rise of political parties were the disagreements between influential politicians over the structure of the government, the proper interpretation of the Constitution, and foreign policy regarding European nations.

The question posed by both Madison and the Framers in the 85 “Federalist Papers” and Dahl in his book How Democratic is the American Constitution? is how effective the Constitution is at promoting the ideals of a democracy. For Dahl, there are several issues surrounding the Constitution, from its drafting, to its ideology, to its relevance. By analyzing Dahl’s critiques of the Constitution in terms of the parallels that exist between factions and the two-party system, the issue of unequal representation, and the necessity for the Framers to compromise on their ideals to ratify the Constitution, Dahl defined a clear argument based in his general disapproval for the Constitution. However, by combining Dahl’s critiques with potential rebuttals from the opinions and perspectives of Madison and his fellow Federalists, it is evident that both Dahl and the Framers believed that if the constitution was completely successful, then the lives of the American people would be enhanced. While Dahl believed that the Constitution, ultimately, has not fully protected the rights of all persons, he, like the Framers, focused on the particulars of government that must be improved such that the American life is bettered.

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.

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.

The United States was built on the basis that individuals have freedoms that cannot be taken from them. Over the course of the country’s nearly 250-year history, those freedoms have helped shape a political system that encourages independent actions amid a lack of hierarchical constraints. That isn’t to say that there is no authority within the U.S. government, but rather it marks a uniquely undisciplined structure for the country’s two-party system. The current Democratic and Republican system is undisciplined because the parties do not consist of individuals – both politicians and citizens – who always line up directly with the larger organization. Intentional parameters in elections and representation were put in place to allow for this, but unintended developments have also perpetuated the individual autonomy present in the current party system. Both factors contribute to today’s political scene, but the country’s foundation in individual freedoms and a person-over-party system is the biggest reason for the parties’ lack of discipline, while other causes like geography and technology simply fuel the system without creating the undisciplined party system by themselves.

The American Democratic system limits the public and their capacity to manage everyday life. When comparing wealthier students to poorer students, it is natural to assume that wealthier students have more privilege over poor students with an education. Opportunities specific for privileged students are provided, unlike poorer counterparts. Poverty-stricken students are exposed to different things than privileged students are, and are forced to meet standards that many cannot such as, “No Child Left Behind Act.” Wealthier children have more of an entitlement than underprivileged people from various states and communities, and this affects personal development. The American Governmental system appeals to the wealthy class, even going as far as acting oblivious towards dramatic issues that primarily affect poverty-engulfed communities such as: artistic and personal expression, wealth mobility, and the educational system inequalities.

Federalist papers were a series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison and were publish with the pen name “Publius”. They were first written to urge the citizens of New York City to support ratification of the proposed United States Constitution. This paper will analyze the problem of tyranny of the majority in both society and the government by using Madison’s Federalist Papers No.10 and 51. It will also discuss how the republican government and separation of powers provide remedies.

1.Analyze the evolution of the American political system. Be sure to include one individual or document that influenced the Constitution and one change in the federal system.

The American Political System The American political system is a federal system, which consists of