No. It is based on rights for all and the votes of those who bother to take part in the process. There is only one in three who vote.
Yes, that statement is generally accurate. Democracy ensures that decisions are made by the majority while also protecting the rights and interests of minority groups. This balance is essential for upholding principles of equality and fairness in a democratic society.
Madison believed that pure democracy could lead to tyranny of the majority, where the majority could easily oppress the rights of the minority. Representative democracy, on the other hand, allows for the selection of individuals to represent the interests of the people while providing checks and balances to prevent such tyranny.
Some disadvantages of democracy include the potential for majority rule leading to oppression of minority groups, the risk of decision-making being swayed by popular opinion rather than expertise, and the possibility of gridlock or inefficiency due to frequent elections and political parties at odds with each other.
It can be argued that pure democracy, the vote of each citizen on every issue affecting everyone, is excessive. Except for in small groups, there has never been a pure democracy governing a state. Ancient Athens was not a pure democracy as non-land holders and women could not vote, yet it was the closest any nation had ever come to it. The problems of a pure democracy become evident as a majority can vote to restrict or eliminate rights of a minority, evident with passage of "Jim Crow" laws following the US Civil War restricting rights of freed men, not all former slaves. Another problem would be the ability to consult each and every citizen in the passage of laws for each and every law, slowing the process greatly. A representative democracy, or republic, speeds this ability, and with checks and balances built in, protects the rights of individuals and minorities.
The framers established a republican form of government to address concerns about the potential for tyranny of the majority in a direct democracy. By electing representatives, they aimed to balance popular sovereignty with the protection of minority rights. This system also allowed for more efficient decision-making and governance over large and diverse populations.
American democracy differs from the theory of democratic government in terms of its representative nature. In American democracy, citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf, whereas in the theory of democratic government, direct participation of citizens in decision-making is emphasized. Additionally, American democracy includes a system of checks and balances, separation of powers, and limited government, which may not always align perfectly with theoretical democratic ideals.
There is no such thing given the context of the question. There are either rights, shared by minority and majority alike; or there is no rights but what the majority would grant to the minority - therefore they (the majority) have no responsibilities to the minority at all.
There is no such thing given the context of the question. There are either rights, shared by minority and majority alike; or there is no rights but what the majority would grant to the minority - therefore they (the majority) have no responsibilities to the minority at all.
Majority rule means a numerical majority of the voting populace holds the power to make decisions binding on everyone. Minority rights are rights guaranteed to minorities that cannot be removed or modified, even by a vote of the majority.
No I don't. The way our government is set up now is meant to protect the minority. If it was a direct democracy, the majority would continually have control, and the minority would eventually become fed up to the point that they revolted.
In Federalist Paper No. 10 James Madison wrote about how a republican government should be structured to protect the rights of the minority. He noted that the majority often has a tendency to abuse its powers leading to the "tyranny of the majority." Madison argued that this tyranny of the majority often leads to the minority having their rights infringed upon. He believed that in order for the rights of the minority to be secure the structure of the government should be so that it would protect these rights from the majority.Madison suggested three ways to protect the rights of the minority. First the government should be large enough that no one faction can become a majority and overpower the minority. Second the government should have a separation of powers so that each branch can act as a check on the other branches. Finally the government should have a system of representation so that the minority can have their views and interests represented in the government.These three aspects of a republican government are what Madison believed would protect the rights of the minority the most. By having a large government the majority cannot easily overpower the minority. By having a separation of powers each branch can act as a check on the other branches and preserve the rights of the minority. And by having a system of representation the minority can have their voices heard in the government. These three aspects according to Madison are what make the rights of the minority most secure.
Almost any dictatorship, but that includes any democracy where a simple majority rules ... they tend to take rights away from the minority. It happened in Germany and shows signs of happening here.
James Madison is often perceived as biased against the majority because of his emphasis on protecting minority rights in his political philosophy. He believed that a pure democracy could lead to the tyranny of the majority, where the rights and interests of minorities would be disregarded. Madison's advocacy for a system of government that included checks and balances and a representative form of democracy was aimed at preventing such tyranny and ensuring that all voices were heard and protected.
In Federalist Paper #10, James Madison argued that minority rights can be protected under a system of majority rule. Minority groups would be protected because the factions (political parties) would have to negotiate their differences. In this way, the republic would create a system of government in which the majority would rule but the ideas of the minority would have to be taken into consideration. Numerous factions would also mean that no one group would be able to take complete control of the government and this would give rise to what Madison called “politics,” namely, the art of governing.
it would secure the minority against the usurpation and tyranny of the majority.
The Trail of Tears is a very good example of Democracy. Democracy is the ability of the Majority to take away the rights of the Minority (Thomas Jefferson, and others). The Majority (Americans) wanted the lands, gold, and other resources of the Minority (Native Americans) so they voted in a President (Andrew Jackson) who would give it to them. If the United States was a Republic (like it is supposed to be) then Article 6 of the US Constitution (which makes Treaties part of the constitution; the Supreme Law of the Land (quoting Article 6)) - then the previous Treaties with those tribes would have prevented them from taking the lands; by forcing the USA to the terms of those treaties.
The Framers of the Constitution feared that the use of tyranny by the majority could create problems. In other words, the majority could use their power to take away the rights of the minority, as an act of tyranny.
They were afraid that the majority would ride roughshod over the minority; so they decided that some rights, even though they were inalienable natural rights, needed to be explicitly guaranteed.