There are many ways states are governed and many different systems of governments. The United States of America uses a democratic system of government; a system where the common person holds power through the ability to vote and participate in politics. Although this holds true for a majority of the operations carried out within the state, some may say the United States has shares particular characteristics of a dictatorship; a system of government where politics are controlled by a small subset of individuals, rather than the power being held by the people in a democratic system. Although within the United States democratic system, government officials are elected by the people, many of the political decisions are made by the smaller group
The United States elects a president that is both head of state and head of government. In other democracies, the leader of the government is not both head of state and head of government. In the American form of democracy, there are only two major political parties, in other governments there may be multiple parties represented (IIP Digital, 2008). Our president, and other government officials are elected for a specific period of time, whereas other governments may call an election at any time (IIP Digital, 2008).
The United States Constitution establishes a system of government named “representative democracy”. In a representative democracy or indirect democracy, the power to govern comes from the people, who have the highest power. With the words “We the people” the Constitution states that the people set up the government. The government works for the people and protects the rights of
There is no doubt that the United States of America is a democracy, but how democratic are some of the components of our system of government? For example, the Electoral College is used when selecting the president of The United States, but the founders developed the Electoral College based on a theory of how it should work with no practical, real-world example of how it realistically works. Based on the three core principles of democracy which are popular sovereignty, political equality, and political freedom, the Electoral College falls short when assessed using these democratic values.
The United States does not have a direct democracy, it is a Republic. Our form of government was created by the founding fathers of America. The founding fathers were educated and scholarly men they were the political leaders of the colonies. These men developed their own ideas about what government should be which influenced the writing of the US constitution. They used their knowledge of past governments and political philosophy to shape the history and government in the United States. Some founders were Thomas Jefferson, author of The Declaration of Independence. George Washington who led the army against the British in the Revolutionary War and who eventually became the first president. James Madison was known for being the father of the constitution because he contributed the most in it, he included the Virginia Plan and The Bill of Rights. Direct Democracy was used by the Greeks in Athens influenced the founders to write the US Constitution in 1788.
Democracy. A country that follows a democratic approach often grants people with the equal opportunity to participate and voice their opinions in their government. Likewise, the USA possesses a democratic system which can be recognized through their presidential election process. Despite the country’s title as a democratic nation, a number of factors sway the presidential the election process from truly being democratic.Often the ethnic groups, the media influence on polls, unequal representation among states, and the impact of social classes creates an unjust bias when it comes to voting during the presidential election process. Therefore, the presidential election process in the
The United States is a nation that has constantly prided itself on the democratic system of government that it possesses, but how democratic is the system really? A democracy is a form of government where the power truly lies in the hands of the people, whether shown through direct or indirect elections of representatives and laws. Based on this definition, the Constitution, the very entity of US government, is democratic based on the initial convention held to ratify it that was based on representatives of the people and that it can be amended with enough support from individuals and their representatives. The Constitution establishes a democracy because it was ratified by representatives of the people and can be amended by representatives
One of the terms used to describe the United States government would be a democracy. This means the people have the power. Our government is also a representative government. This means the people elect leaders who will represent their viewpoint when making government decisions. Our government is also a republic. This means that the president is elected by the people. The United States government is also a constitutional government. It operates according to a set of laws and principles that are outlined in a constitution. And finally, it is an example of the federal system of government. This means that the national government shares responsibilities with the state and municipal governments.
Although the United States may seem democratic, the truth is not in a single person representing the country, but instead a leading group, making it an oligarchy. These powerful members such as economic elites and organized interest groups are responsible for influencing control over the general population and causing the most change to the American nation. The government system is structured a specific way where the average citizen is not directly contributing to its politics and legislature. The real people controlling the mass population in our states and country are an organized group of politicians that exercise the power and control over the country due to the natural instinct and tendency to seek power. For instance, common and public good distribution and regulation have been established by other higher officials and elites, not the people. Large-scale organizations tend to rise to oligarchies because they seek people with special qualities and elevated skills instead of the average uninformed and incompetent citizen who might not be capable to know how to benefit the nation. Most organizations and interest group leaders incline to education and have expertise, therefore the have an instinct to contribute to the power being enforced in our government. Americans do have some features central to the
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)
An ideal society is aimed through Democracy, which is the action that allows individuals to voice their opinions. Democracy is an essential factor that is enacted into society, therefore it’s critically important that all Americans participate in the democratic process. It’s vital that all Americans participate in the democratic society because it allows individuals to be able to clasp a different variety of viewpoints, have the ability to voice their own opinion, and be able to recognize the direct and indirect consequences of decisions that are taken within the democratic process.
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.
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.
It comes in many forms: Direct, Representative,Parliamentary, Presidential, and Hybrid/semi-direct. The United States uses the Representative form of Democracy, it involves the people voting a Representative for 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
Democracy is a form of government which dominates the western world. In democracy, every person is given equal input into matters of the state, although this does happen to varying degrees. There exist many different types of democracy. Absolute or direct democracy occurs when each citizen personally participates in all decision-making processes. This system is difficult to maintain due to the vast number of people and the necessity for all people to be informed, logical, and educated when making many decisions. This form of democracy has not existed in significant sized populations. Representative democracy is a type of government in which the people elect government officials to make decisions concerning the state. The two most prevalent types of representative democracy are democratic republics and parliamentary democracies. In a democratic republic, such as the United States or Canada, the people elect both their representatives in government and their head of state. In a parliamentary democracy, such as the United Kingdom or Australia, the people elect their representatives and their representatives elect their head of state.