Americas Democracy Essay - 1091 Words

Americas Democracy The United States of America is a republic, or representative democracy. Democracy, a word that comes to us from Greek, literally means the people rule (Romance, July 8). This broad definition leaves unanswered a few important details such as who are the people, how shall they rule, and what should they rule on (July 8). Defining the answers to those questions means defining a model for a democratic system. William E. Hudson defines four such models in his book American Democracy in Peril: the Protective, Developmental, Pluralist, and Participatory models of democracy (Hudson, 8-19). Of these models, perhaps Participatory comes closest to an ideal, pure democracy of rule by the people (16-19). In practice, however,†¦show more content†¦These features are intended to safeguard against the possibility of an undemocratic tyranny of one group gaining a monopoly on political power. The circumstances and manner in which the country was founded have provided a democratic example fo r later generations to follow. An aspect of its political culture that possibly highlights even better America’s democracy is the religions and faiths of its citizens. The freedom of religion guaranteed to all American citizens has allowed for an incredibly diverse and readily apparent faith-life throughout the country (Romance, July 8). Because there is no one, state-approved religion it is possible for each citizen to find and practice the faith that appeals most to them, giving that practice more meaning than if it were state mandated. The resulting strong religious beliefs of a large majority of the citizens is therefore a large factor in the political culture. American citizens hold very dear their democratically secured right to practice the religion of their choice, or even no religion at all. Many of those who immigrated to the New World did so for religious reasons, others simply on the chance that life would be better there. The nature of these immigrant Americans would become perhaps the most defining aspect of the country’sShow MoreRelatedAmerica’s Democracy Intervention Mystery, Cuba and You1475 Words   |  6 Pagessomeone burn something, it turns into ash, or smash a banana, it turns In to mash. But when it comes to gargantuan things, like government, sometimes change seems impossible. Though America has made it happen before. Anerica should continue spreading democracy. From Kosovo to Japan, the country changed a solid government! In Columbia, they took advantage of their troubles to make their government more fair. Sadly though, governemt changing is not always sparkles and rainbows. They have failed multipleRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography : Types Of Leftist Governments1442 Words   |  6 Pagespreexisting or absent institutions have led Latin Ame rican nations to see a divergence in the types of leftist governments in power? Group 1: Party Systems and Political Institutions French, John. 2010. â€Å"Many Lefts, One Path? Chavez and Lula.† In Latin America’s Left Turns: Politics, Policies, and Trajectories of Change. Eds. Maxwell A. Cameron Eric Hershberg. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc. 41-60. French poses that â€Å"the key to unity that exists in within the left’s diversity... canRead MoreDemocracy : A Country Of A Phenomenal Government Essay1608 Words   |  7 Pagesa disastrous government. Interestingly, democracy remains profoundly revered despite the evident unhappiness resulting from the actions of America’s political system. 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Before his time this wasn’t necessarily theRead MoreThe Political System Of The United States1053 Words   |  5 PagesRoger Darlington has said that the United States is the most powerful nation on earth; politically, economically and militarily(1). Even though the U.S. is the second largest democracy in the world, India being the first, it is considered rare, compared to other systems in the world. Where did the founders of the U.S. get their ideas for the political system we have today? The U.S. political system is made up of many components and there are several factors the contributed to what the U.S. politicalRead MoreTotalitarian Government in Animal Farm Essay928 Words   |  4 Pagesare many typ es of government, and all of them each have a favorable trait which makes them seem superior to the rest, but some governments are better to others. Due to its effectiveness and way of life, a totalitarian government is better than a democracy. In Animal Farm, one of the main causes of Napoleons power over all of the animals was his use of propaganda, a classic totalitarian tool. He used it to manipulate the uneducated animals and made them trust the lies he was feeding them. In manyRead MoreEducation And Social Thought Of Americans1538 Words   |  7 PagesEducation and democracy are related through the practice and social thought of Americans. Education is a vast subject and the opportunities to learn are endless, but the general point of education is to improve one’s ability to understand certain concepts and put them to use in the real world. If people were left uneducated, they would never know that a better life could be in their future. The point of a democracy is to have a structured way of life where everyone can speak for himself or herselfRead MoreThe Roman Republic And Its Political Impact On Our Government925 Words   |  4 Pagesorder. The question then arises; who did America model its government aft er? Many historians say that America followed in the footsteps of the ancient Greek government. This is a misconception. If you compare America’s government to the ancient Roman government, you will see that America’s government more resembles that of the Romans than the Greeks. â€Å"The Romans, always with an eye toward practicality and efficiency, were not apt to make the same mistakes as had the Greeks. So, they mixed their governmentRead MoreThe American Empire: Exceptionalist Political, Economic, and Public Policies1446 Words   |  6 Pagesglobal empire, through political, economic and public policies, that center on capitalism. There are two parts to this argument. The first is about America’s exceptional global situation in which I will discuss the way in which America has made itself exceptional and held on to that position. The second part is about the effects and implications of America’s exceptional position on the world. Background American revolution Puritan Cold war Political Intro: In the course of the last half century,Read MoreAddress To Congress On Womens Suffrage And Pearl Harbor Speech1441 Words   |  6 Pagesterritory rests upon the consent of half of the people.† This shows that not allowing women the right to vote divides the nation and government. This creates a feeling of guilt in those who, by opposing women’s suffrage, rid America of its unity and democracy. The address also says, â€Å"It is a death grapple between the forces which deny and those which uphold the truths of the Declaration of Independence.† This passage denounces the people opposing women’s suffrage as not upholding the Declaration of Independence