Amy Wyatt
GOV 2305
Professor Kucharski
29 April 2017
USA: A Democracy Or Not?
The world views the United States as try to spread democracy. If you ask the average American whether the United States was a republic or a democracy most would answer, a democracy. In the Gettysburg address Abraham Lincoln called America a: “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” When just reading this statement it sounds as if Lincoln was the president of a democracy. Surprisingly, however, the United States is not, and never has been, a democracy. The United States is primarily a republic, and not a democracy, because of the Founding Fathers, Electoral college, and the Constitution.
Majority says the United States is a democracy. Why has this …show more content…
This does not mean it is a democracy. Instead this means that the United States is a republic in which there are democracy nuances. All the checks and balances make sure that the United States is a republic, but the people do have a part. The people vote for a state representative, and they vote for senators. A single person cannot get rid of president. Ultimately, senators can remove a president but there are a lot of checks and balances to go through. For example, Bill Clinton was impeached by the House. But there where not enough votes from the Senate for him to be acquitted There is underlying democracy to the republic. No one thinks that their vote counts anymore. Out of 325 million people in the United States a persons individual vote seems so miniscule. People’s votes do count. They count to chose who to represent them, and who will have a seat in the House and Senate. However, the reasons the United States is not a democracy is because majority rule ends up leading to …show more content…
Is the United States run by a dictator? No, it is not run by a dictator. Does the United States want to be run by dictators? The answer is a most resounding no. Once again it can be seen that the United States is a republic rather than a democracy. Plato experienced democracy in Athens first hand and he knew that democracy did not work. Plato argued that in democracy’s very nature it is doomed to fail.
The electoral college is more proof of the success of the Founding Fathers creating the United States as a republic. About 230 years ago the electoral college was set up to be a part of the system of checks and balances. In fact the electoral college is said to be one of the most important parts of the United States republic. Many democratic nations have a very similar government structure to the united States, but none of them have the electoral college. This institution is part of what sets the United States apart and keeps it a republic
GOV 2305
Professor Kucharski
29 April 2017
USA: A Democracy Or Not?
The world views the United States as try to spread democracy. If you ask the average American whether the United States was a republic or a democracy most would answer, a democracy. In the Gettysburg address Abraham Lincoln called America a: “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” When just reading this statement it sounds as if Lincoln was the president of a democracy. Surprisingly, however, the United States is not, and never has been, a democracy. The United States is primarily a republic, and not a democracy, because of the Founding Fathers, Electoral college, and the Constitution.
Majority says the United States is a democracy. Why has this …show more content…
This does not mean it is a democracy. Instead this means that the United States is a republic in which there are democracy nuances. All the checks and balances make sure that the United States is a republic, but the people do have a part. The people vote for a state representative, and they vote for senators. A single person cannot get rid of president. Ultimately, senators can remove a president but there are a lot of checks and balances to go through. For example, Bill Clinton was impeached by the House. But there where not enough votes from the Senate for him to be acquitted There is underlying democracy to the republic. No one thinks that their vote counts anymore. Out of 325 million people in the United States a persons individual vote seems so miniscule. People’s votes do count. They count to chose who to represent them, and who will have a seat in the House and Senate. However, the reasons the United States is not a democracy is because majority rule ends up leading to …show more content…
Is the United States run by a dictator? No, it is not run by a dictator. Does the United States want to be run by dictators? The answer is a most resounding no. Once again it can be seen that the United States is a republic rather than a democracy. Plato experienced democracy in Athens first hand and he knew that democracy did not work. Plato argued that in democracy’s very nature it is doomed to fail.
The electoral college is more proof of the success of the Founding Fathers creating the United States as a republic. About 230 years ago the electoral college was set up to be a part of the system of checks and balances. In fact the electoral college is said to be one of the most important parts of the United States republic. Many democratic nations have a very similar government structure to the united States, but none of them have the electoral college. This institution is part of what sets the United States apart and keeps it a republic