17 Jun 2022

378

Did the Founding Fathers support or oppose democracy?

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Academic level: College

Paper type: Essay (Any Type)

Words: 813

Pages: 3

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Regardless of apparent history indicating that America is an established republic, not a democracy, there is still a misunderstanding concerning the distinction involving these two very dissimilar government systems. In contemporary usage, it differs from a democratic form as democracy is where people exercise the sovereignty powers as individuals. Also, in the democratic government system, the masses vote on the entire affairs that involve them, and do not elect others to represent their interests. Thus, a mass-rules absolute democracy gives unrestrained powers to the majority without safeguarding individual`s legitimate undeniable civil liberties or the minority rights. In drawing distinction, a Republic, the power of the majority is restrained by a drafted constitution which protects the legitimate undeniable minority rights group. In this paper, we are going to discuss whether the Founding Fathers supported or opposed the democratic system? It also seeks to find out whether or not the Constitution is a democratic document. 

Historically, it is pertinent to mention that ever since the founding of the United States in 1776, no president expressed America as a democratic state up to the moment Woodrow Wilson used the word wrongly during First World War. Unfortunately, at the moment, it has grown to be the most common term used in portraying America form of government, taking into account the recent years applied by two, Presidents George W. Bush and Barrack Obama. The Founding fathers on no account applied the terms" Republic" alongside "Democracy" to refer to the same thing. They had reviewed different types of government systems from all through history with the purpose of establishing a government system that would preeminently dissuade a dictators and totalitarians, from forbidding Americans their legitimate rights. Fascinatingly, the Declaration of Independence, the Confederation Articles, and the Constitution have not applied the word democracy to characterize America’s government form. Additionally, "not either was the Confederation Articles or the Constitution advocated for absolute democracies." The architects of these first constitutions were in opposing views in many cases, but on this one occasion, they harmoniously held the same opinion that: “By no means was it or, intended to be a democratic state as they deem it to be a Republic. The resulting statements corresponded to a small section of what the pioneers believed regarding democracies.

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The fundamental question is why they opposed Democracy? The major argument is that it naturally contradicts with the “wealth share” ideology, which exclusively works on condition that there is money allocation.  Those in power find pleasure in receiving while those oppressed are forced to give and deprived of the right to benefits of what they toiled. Democracy present with the majority rules principles and many elections with choices, but little more. It fails to safeguard the populace from the redistribution of governments’ wealth philosophy, which give the right to the less productive in the society to get something for nothing.

From the sixth president of America, Benjamin Franklin we can see the general perception of democracy as he termed it as “two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. The first united state secretary of the treasury, Also, Alexander Hamilton asserted in his last letter warned that "America's real illness was a democracy. The third President of the United States , Thomas Jefferson affirmed that “democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine."

It becomes visible that the rise of abolitionist had successfully influenced the dialogue by ruling over the terms employed to express political views. In the fullness of time, initial expressions that explained America’s heritage which was distorted become crucial first attempt headed for vitally the republic transformation. America’s forefathers manifestly, sworn on their lives, prosperity, and principles to protect their irrefutable emancipation not just for themselves, but as well for their future generation. In Article IV, Section 4, the Constitution itself, asserts that America will certify to each State in this Union a Republican Government structure. The architects of the constitution were not representing any political parties, as they were non-existent during those times. The Oath of Allegiance, though absent in the founding document, does arrive at the appropriate accord when it invites people of America to "pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States, alongside the    Republic in which they endorse.” Even so, the America pioneers have discouraged democracy they have designed some facet of the Constitution in a way to indicate that Americans are making terrible options in choosing self-governance which may not be so as they made people to see. 

In conclusion, the founding fathers had given us more than enough caution that democracy tends to influence totalitarianism and therefore in their judgment, they did not have any intention to devolve America into a democratic nation. This raised many questions over time as to what exactly was the relationship between the terms "republic" and "democracy" matters in the present time. Probably, due to the lack of knowledge of America's history that made it very easy for politicians to shadow the difference that for the longest time distinct America. If people are unconscious of the history of America and it changes over time, they might as well logically have a slight concern in defending it or the founding fathers` primary objective. As a result, what is the change in which the founding fathers were searching for? Is it “rejection in totality, in theory, or in practice, of the ideologies and guidelines on which America has been established?

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 16). Did the Founding Fathers support or oppose democracy?.
https://studybounty.com/did-the-founding-fathers-support-or-oppose-democracy-essay

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