US government has two different democratic theories of government, one being Majoritarian and the other being Pluralist. These two concepts of democracy face their own pros and cons within themselves and in some being a close structure to the US Constitution and the way it is set up.
Majoritarian models attempt to approximate people’s responsibilities in a direct democracy within the enclose of representative government. To make the government respond to the publics opinion. Citizens are supposed to be knowledgeable and control their representative’s actions by choosing them wisely, and voting public officials based on their performances. Us as citizens of the US have the right to vote no matter the religion, race, or social class. Our constitution gives the people the right to participate in political activities because it makes them think that they know about the government and political process in choosing our own representatives.
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Due to this model, democracy exists when multiple organizations function separately from the government. Two of the major appliances in a pluralist democracy are interest groups and decentralized structure of government. Under this system, interest groups alternate points to present and argue their claims, weather a specific project in any country should get the financial administrated or service delivery system support. Now in modern society there are groups often formed showing economic, religion, ethnic, or cultural lines. These groups gather up regardless of what it’s about, and later on they all come together to bring all the ideas to one. This is what mostly helps in this specific political process, the diversity being portrayed within this system is what makes it a close match to our government
The American Democracy Now textbook explains about the different 9 chapters, such as The Constitution, Federalism, Civil Liberties, Public Opinion, Interest Groups, Political, and etc. Within each of the 9 chapters it describes a brief history of America and how it help mold and shaped the way we live, and the way we think from a different perspective of a person opinion. Throughout the years, technology has influenced different ways people and government communicates and organizes their political campaigns such as television, computers, cell phones, and news services. Technology has challenged people to give them opportunities to respond to make a deep impact in the future of the nation.
Through the fundamental ideals of the founding fathers the United States government has been sculpted into a variation of a democracy influenced by Madison, Jefferson, and Hamilton. These men each provided concepts and qualities of their respective government that are directly reflected in the constitution and the bill of rights. Although, conflicting principals can be identified through each individual’s interpretation of a democracy, there is no doubt Madison, Jefferson, and Hamilton structured our government into what it is today. Madison described a democracy in which wealth needed to be equally distributed among the people in order to function.
The continuing struggle to achieve civil rights despite the Civil Rights Movement highlights the ways in which the Madisonian Democratic system is failing in the United States. Madisonian Democracy and a majoritarian understanding of democracy are based on similar ideas but have a distinct and important difference: protection of minorities and individual rights. A majoritarian democracy is one in which the majorities win without consideration for minority rights and is, perhaps, democracy in it’s simplest form – the people or the elected officials vote, and the majority vote wins. A Madisonian Democracy is a composite form of government. Like a majoritarian democracy, the majority opinion holds most the power, however, checks and balances are put in place to ensure a protection of minority and individual rights, as well as minimize the risk of abusive uses of power.
Which set of democratic political institutions would likely produce the highest quality republican democracy? Since the constitution of the United States of America are not based on gridlock fundamentals, it should contain the flexibility in the governing and election systems to insure all citizen’s justice, fair living and freedom under fair constitutional laws. According to that prospective and based on alternatives election system distributions, Plurality would be the best choice for US since a debate on which system can fit the modern US political system without any ignores of the founders fundamental of unity and freedom. People today has the power to choose by their direct vote and who well represented them individually to insure the produce of the highest quality republican democracy.
In an ideal word the American citizens would take the time to educate themselves on political officials and make informed votes, but that 's not what is
The United States is no Longer Following a Democracy A democracy is a form of government in which the people decide important matters and problems. Is the United States following this definition of democracy? The answer is no.
However, pluralism isn’t the best example of describing American politics because all interests and problems aren’t being represented equally.
In my opinion voting is not something that is required for citizens, but is giving to the people so they can interact. Once stated by Hilary Clinton “Voting is the most precious right of every citizen, and we have a moral obligation to ensure the integrity of our voting process”. As an African American female, and being able to vote in my first election. I could voice my opinion by voting for someone who I feel could do great things to help our country. I’m pleased to say that I’m able to vote because I know in history women has went through disfranchisement as well to allow me and women in American the opportunity to be able to voice their opinion.
In 1831 French sociologist and political theorist Alexis De Tocqueville and a lawyer he befriended named Gustave de Beaumont, spent nine months traveling around America studying its prisons and came back with a full report on the cultural, political and psychological life in America. While Beaumont wrote about the penitentiary system, Tocqueville focused more in the cultural and political life in America. He wrote two essays and published them in a book called Democracy in America. He discussed the possible threats to democracy and the possible dangers of democracy. He believed that religion and equality were the greatest ideas and they were the most advanced in the United States and that's why democracy worked so well in America.
Robert Dahl came up with meritorious pluralist theory about democracy. His case study was in New Haven, Connecticut in 1941-1959. In his well-known book Who Governs? Democracy and Power in American Study, in his book Dahls argue, “Political power in the United States is pluralistic”. He rebutted theories created by Floyd Hunter, who argued that a small elite had key positions of power.
al., 2015). In U.S. context, pluralism is often regarded as one of the hallmarks of America democracy. This is because in the United States, pluralism ensures the existence and maintenance of diverse group identities. It also implies that various groups in U.S. society have mutual respect for one another’s identity, a respect that allows minorities to express their own identity without suffering prejudice or hostility. In the United States, pluralism is thus more an ideal than a reality (Norman, 2015; Schaefer, 2000; Shaw et.
There will always be different views and opinions when it comes to government politics. One interesting view is whether or not our nation is led by an Elite or Popular Democracy. A democracy is a form of government that is run by elected officials that are voted into public office by the people for representation. There are different perspectives on how a democratic system should work.
This inspired us an idea of direct democracy could work well today in the United States as well; nonetheless, it is too idealistic. This essay will clarify why government is important to our life, the strength and weakness of direct democracy compare to representative democracy, and why direct democracy is unfeasible for America. Undoubtedly, government is one of the most important components of people’s life. It influences us from the simplest price of food to the most complicated financial policy.
All Americans, as part of their country, state and city should be punctilious about who represents them, along with what their representative’s purpose is. Many citizens do not know information as simple as who their city’s mayor is or who is part of the town council, making it difficult for citizens to be involved in their community in order to make their city or town a better place to live. Having a representative for each level of government (local, state and federal) allows for ordinary citizens to have a connection with their government, in order to substantiate that the citizens are heard. A clairvoyant and recent example of the levels of government at work with the citizens is the efforts of Florida high schoolers trying to change
“Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy,” said Benito Mussolini. By the time one enters the third grade they become aware of concept of democracy. Specifically in America, one is taught that they live in a democratic society. When asking what is democracy, the answer is never truly defiente. The answers given may be; a society where everyone votes, or by dictionary definition “a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of the state; typically through elected representation.”