How

democratic is
the United
States?

What do these quotes tell us about the beliefs of

many of the founders of the US?
Why did they feel this way?
[The people] should have as little to do as may be with the government.
- Roger Sherman, delegate at the 1787 Constitutional Convention
The ancient democracies in which the people themselves deliberated never
possessed one good feature of government. Their very character was
tyranny; their figure deformity...All communities divide themselves into the
few and the many. The first are the rich and well born, the other the mass of
the people...The people are turbulent and changing...give therefore to the
first class a distinct permanent share in the government. They will check the
unsteadiness of the second.

Founders skepticism was based on:

Impracticality (ie. looked back
to Athenians)
They largely shared Hobbesian
view of human nature
Did not believe public was
equipped to make wise decisions
Feared tyranny of the majority
or the mobocracy

What did we end up with?

REPUBLICANISM: Rule by representatives who make
decisions on behalf of the people

In a representative democracy, the desires of the people should be replicated

in government through the choices of elected officials. The closer the
correspondence b/w representatives and their constituents, the closer the
approximation to an ideal democracy.

HOWEVER, today we tend to use the

term democracy to refer to
republics as well.

Traditional Democratic Theory:

According to Robert Dahl (former Prof. of Political Science, Yale),
an ideal democratic process should satisfy the following 5 criteria:

Equality in voting: one person, one vote

Effective participation: Citizens must have adequate opportunity to express preferences
through the decision making process
Enlightened understanding: Free marketplace of ideas are essential to civic
understanding
Citizen control of the agenda: Citizens should have the collective right to control the
governments policy agenda. If wealthy individuals or groups distort the agenda, the people
cannot make government address the issues they feel are most important
Inclusion: Government must extend rights to all those subject ot its laws. Citizenship must
be open to all within a nation if the nation is to call itself democratic.

HOW WELL HAS IT WORKED?

YOUR IDEAS?
Examples of Democratic Features
of American Society (NOT AN
EXHAUSTIVE LIST):

Universal suffrage
Checks and balances
Direct democracy in state and
local elections, and in electing
the House and Senate
Protection of civil rights
(freedom of speech, press,
etc)

Examples of Undemocratic
Features/Challenges to Democracy
(NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST):

Non-citizens cannot vote; nor can

convicted
Electoral College
Corporate influence in politics
Local/State practices such as
gerrymandering or voter ID laws
In times of crisis leadership often limits
rights
representatives disproportionately
white, male, wealthy