Is America a democracy

Answer 1

That depends on exactly how you define the word. They certainly intended to create a government in which the people were the ultimate authority and which was answerable to their will. However, that was not what they would have meant by the word democracy. To them democracy meant a government on the model of ancient Athens where the populace as a whole, all the free men of the nation, met on a regular basis to debate policy and act as the legislature and supreme court. Obviously such a government is simply impractical for any state larger than a small city. Thus the founders created a representative republic. That is a government where the people elect representatives to conduct the legislative and other business of government and must stand for re-election on a regular basis so that the people can pass judgment on their actions and retain control of them. Over time, as the franchise has expanded and elections have become more direct, the meaning of the word democracy has changed to be essentially synonymous with republic. Thus, if you mean democracy in the sense it was understood in the 18th century the answer is no, but if you mean democracy in the sense we use it today, the answer is reasonably yes.Michael Montagne

Answer 2

First of all, the framers of the Constitution wanted America to be a Republic, not a democracy. So I believe the framers of the Constitution would support George Bush. He listened to the representatives of the people to figure out what he should do and how he should carry out a task. Clinton relied on a democracy, which is not what they wanted. He may have had a strong connection with the people of the United States, but if he performed his job solely to carry out what the people wanted then the rights of a minority could be abused by the tyranny of the majority. America would be torn apart by the decisions of the people. That is why the framers of the Constitution believed that democracies were dangerous and unworkable. But in the world we live in now, the president should have a good connection with the people, but at the same time, know how to make the hard decision, the correct decision, even when that decision doesn't please the people. A president should keep the well being of the country in mind, not its popular vote.

Answer 3

YES. The United States is a Presidential Republic, which is a type of democracy.

Democracy encompasses any form of government in which the people have the ability to choose their leaders or laws. There are direct democracies, which are where the people themselves vote on laws, and indirect democracies where the people have the ability to choose their leaders, who in turn vote on the laws. Presidential Republics, which include the United States and large parts of Latin America, ave governments where all citizens over a certain age can vote for political parties that sit in Congress as well as voting for a President who is the chief executive. This makes the United States an indirect democracy. In Presidential Republics, there is a clear delineation between the legislative and executive branches.

Answer 4

I don't think that our country was first founded as a democracy.