The Importance Of Democracy In America

Democracy. It is the basis of the American government today. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, democracy is defined as “the belief in freedom and equality between people, or a system of government based on this belief, in which power is either held by elected representatives or directly by the people themselves.” Using this definition, the United States corresponds to the first of the two versions. It is a democratic republic, which means that instead of the people doing all the deciding individually, people elect representatives whose beliefs align with theirs to decide for them. This type of democracy allows for all different ways of thinking. Of course, with this kind of freedom can come more disagreement. Throughout history, it is clear that they people do not always agree to disagree. In the past years, the civil rights of people have changed and have gotten more inclusive. A hundred years ago, only a select group of people, usually the white man, could have the basic rights that any citizen should have. As years passed, reform and protest have allowed minorities of race, religion, and even sexuality, have a taste of more freedom. The first account for supporting these rights in America was done by a woman named Emma Goldman in 1910. She was very politically active, and, …show more content…
There are other countries that operate under a different type of government, or a different kind of law that doesn’t allow these freedoms. Take for example Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country that operates under a theocracy. Their main form of law is Sharia Law, which forbids homosexuality, up to the point of execution if caught or accused. Citizens of this country cannot possible overturn this kind of law, since it is set in stone with their relgion. Since there is a separation of church and state within the United States, this is not the