The Case Against Democracy
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- Category: Politics
- Date Submitted: 09/08/2011 01:30 PM
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The Case Against Democracy by Richard Cameron
It is long been a popular belief within our culture that freedom equals democracy. For those who take the time to look beyond simple semantics, reality paints a much different picture. By definition a democracy, whether direct or representative, is the form of government in which supreme power is vested and exercised by the majority over the minority.
This form of government establishes legislation based upon majority rule. Safeguards protecting the rights of minorities only exist to the extent that the majority believes such protections should exist. One of the most extreme examples occurred in Germany during the March 1933 elections when the National Socialist German Workers' [Nazi] Party came to power under Adolf Hitler with 43.9% of the popular vote.
Our founding fathers recognized firsthand the dangers of "excesses of democracy" and struggled to assemble a framework that would both maximize and protect individual liberties from the federal government. Even during the late 18th century our founders had numerous examples of current and past failed governments and came to the conclusion that excessive democracy would eventually lead to abuse and tyranny. It was John Adams who stated that America was a "nation of laws, not of men." Our founders understood that the only purpose of government was to protect the individual rights of its citizens. It is with this understanding that they adopted a republic as the form of government for the United States on September 17, 1787.
The United States Constitution was the embodiment of this republic and the supreme law of the land established and written in such a way to protect the world's smallest minority -- the individual. Our founders could have identified and specifically named each and every right, but instead decided upon a more pragmatic approach which involved outlining the limitations upon the powers of the federal government. Until 1787 no...
It is long been a popular belief within our culture that freedom equals democracy. For those who take the time to look beyond simple semantics, reality paints a much different picture. By definition a democracy, whether direct or representative, is the form of government in which supreme power is vested and exercised by the majority over the minority.
This form of government establishes legislation based upon majority rule. Safeguards protecting the rights of minorities only exist to the extent that the majority believes such protections should exist. One of the most extreme examples occurred in Germany during the March 1933 elections when the National Socialist German Workers' [Nazi] Party came to power under Adolf Hitler with 43.9% of the popular vote.
Our founding fathers recognized firsthand the dangers of "excesses of democracy" and struggled to assemble a framework that would both maximize and protect individual liberties from the federal government. Even during the late 18th century our founders had numerous examples of current and past failed governments and came to the conclusion that excessive democracy would eventually lead to abuse and tyranny. It was John Adams who stated that America was a "nation of laws, not of men." Our founders understood that the only purpose of government was to protect the individual rights of its citizens. It is with this understanding that they adopted a republic as the form of government for the United States on September 17, 1787.
The United States Constitution was the embodiment of this republic and the supreme law of the land established and written in such a way to protect the world's smallest minority -- the individual. Our founders could have identified and specifically named each and every right, but instead decided upon a more pragmatic approach which involved outlining the limitations upon the powers of the federal government. Until 1787 no...