Introduction
American democracy is a result of a political culture that shares common values and respects each citizen’s thoughts and the government’s basic functioning. With the implementation of a democratic, the new constitution enforces equality and liberty. Also, it praises the meaning of democracy as the people’s government, by the people, and for the people, just like Abraham Lincoln asserted. Some characteristics of American democracy include personal liberty, individualism, majority rule with the preservation of minority rights, popular consent, and political; equity. While these are some of the evident features of American democracy, this democracy differs from the theory of a democratic government.
What are the characteristics of American democracy?
The first feature of American democracy is personal liberty. According to de Toqueville (2020), American Democracy enables all citizens in the nation to enjoy God’s given rights of life and pursue happiness and liberty, as stated in the Bill of Rights. These rights are never denied in America. It is also important to note that Americans have the freedom of thought, belief, religion, and possessing a political opinion without being judged or threatened. The second feature of American Democracy is individualism. This means that a person is always at the forefront of decision-making. Although Americans do not have specific powers in the process, they have a representative form of democracy where elected leaders speak on their behalf. However, a person has a strong voice in American democracy.
The third characteristic of American democracy is political equity. Abdul-Razzak et al. (2020) note that the American government has implemented laws that ensure citizens have the chance to vote and their voices are heard during the democratic process. This means that most citizens have their voices heard and can show their political partialities. The fourth feature is popular consent. According to de Toqueville (2020) the American government receives its supremacy from the consent of the citizens being ruled. Notably, power is given to them through the Declaration of Independence. The last characteristic is the majority rule element. This means that policies are made into laws on the condition that most citizens agree. If the minority jeopardizes the majority rule, then the minority needs must be safeguarded.
How does American democracy differ from the theory of democratic government?
Democracy is basically the idea that political authority resides at the level of the citizens. In the United States, the President is the head of state and head of government, yet in some governments, these are two individuals. It is also important to note that in America, two major political parties (Republicans and Democrats) represent the interests of the people in parliament. However, the theory of democratic government state that a government can have multiple political parties to represent the interest of the people (Abdul-Razzak et al., 2020). Further, in American democracy, leaders are elected to represent citizens and make decisions. Yet, in some nations, citizens discuss policy matters, and the majority rule decides. The best thing about American democracy is that the government is more manageable since elected leaders are the only ones given a chance to vote and make decisions on important issues.
Conclusion
In conclusion, some of the characteristics of American democracy include personal liberty, individualism, majority rule with the preservation of minority rights, popular consent, and political; equity. Democracy enables citizens to share their issues of concern with leaders without any fear. As Abraham Lincoln said, democracy is the people’s government, for the people, and by the people.
References
Abdul-Razzak, N., Prato, C., & Wolton, S. (2020). After citizens united: How outside spending shapes American democracy. Electoral Studies, 67, 102190.
de Toqueville, A. (2020). The American Democracy. e-artnow.
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