Constitutional Democracy vs Constitutional Republic
America is often referred to as a democracy, but in truth that is shorthand for a more nuanced reality. America is democratic, but it is also a republic. (Alvarez 1). The United States is controlled by laws that people are expected to abide by. Although a constitutional democracy and a constitutional republic allow the people to elect whom they want, they also differ greatly in their governed laws.
A constitutional democracy is a form of government in which the power is held by the people, often administered by agents elected in a free election system (''Constitutional Democracy''). Usually any citizen can participate in the US democratic election process with the exception of certain individuals that are not qualified. The majority takes all decisions that favors them while the minority doesn't. In this form of government, people vote for government officials that align with their personal interest and opinions. While all citizens supposedly have a say in government and are to be treated as equals, the majority often ends up tyrannically ruling the minority (Legal Dictionary). There are laws in place to limit abuse of government power although it would be very difficult to completely rid a government of thus said abuse in its entirety. A constitutional republic is a form of government in which officials are elected by citizens to lead them as directed by their country’s constitution. (''Constitutional Republic''). The
…show more content…
Both respect the constitution and all actions, be that of an individual or a majority. The constitutional republic and constitutional democracy should be in agreement with the laws. They both allow individuals to make decisions like the freedom and choice to follow any religion. Both systems allow and encourage citizens to elect anyone based upon their
When the Constitution was first drafted in Philadelphia, 1787, there was strong opposition to it from the supporters of the Articles of Confederation, America’s first governing document. One of the starkest Anti-Federalists, Patrick Henry, believed the Constitution was a gateway to power for tyrants, similarly, Thomas Jefferson strongly opposed the Constitution’s ratification, believing the Constitution would strip Americans of their freedoms and liberties. Despite their efforts, the Constitution was signed into law, and is now contrarily viewed as that which protects Americans’ rights. The US Constitution is a more democratic document than the Articles of Confederation because under the Articles there was no proportional representation, Americans did not directly vote for any representatives in Congress under the Articles, and the Constitution implemented federal income taxes were able to fund a government that could effectively protect the rights of American citizens.
The first article was based on the legislative branch on both the constitutions, the second was based on the executive and the third was based on judicial. I also noticed that they both have an article dedicated to oaths, but the content differs in both. In the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, they have oaths that pledge their loyalty to Texas as well as the constitution. Here is an excerpt from Article 5 of the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, “IA. B., do solemnly swear [or affirm, as the case may be] that, as a member of this General Congress, I will support the Constitution of the Republic, and that I will not propose or assent to any bill, vote, or resolution, which shall appear to be injurious to the People.”
Most people who were in favor of a new Constitution also favored democratic ideals. Democracy can be defined as a form of
10 in an attempt to ratify the Constitution, the new form of government for the United States. In the Federalist Paper No. 10, Madison analyzed the way to deal with facts, made a comparison between a pure democracy and a republic, and made another comparison on whether a small government or a large government would be the best for America. He informed the people that there is not a way to completely get rid of factions, but there are ways to deal with them. One great way to deal with factions is by having a government that knows how to control and deal with their effects. Madison believes that a republic can do that job better than a democracy, because a democracy is a small society of people who can not admit there is a cure to factions.
The United States Government can be described as a constitutional republic with a
Compare the history of how we got to our current constitution to something else and why that is so? A constitution is literally a rule book. It states many different things in it. It sets up major governing institutions, assigns institutions their given power, and places explicit and implicit control on power that given to them. A constitution establishes literal legitimacy, it’s the real deal.
Articles of Confederation vs. U.S. Constitution The Articles of the Confederation and the U.S. Constitution are two articles that where written and accepted by the United States as a foundation for their new government. They are both very important documents that have similarities and differences. Some of the main things the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution have in common is that they addressed the needs of its constituencies.
INTRO: So, what is a republic? A republic is a democratic nation in which the highest public office is held not by a monarch, who inherits the position by birth, but instead by a citizen chosen on merit. Australia is a monarchy because it was colonised by the British in 1788. With them, they brought their lifestyles, culture and system of government.
Moreover, the scheme of representation and the various mechanisms for selecting representatives established by the Constitution were clearly intended to produce a republic, not a democracy (This Nation). In conclusion the United States is not a democracy. It is not a democracy because of how our government is set up with rule by law. The United States are mostly a republic more than a democracy for many reasons.
The Constitution is better than the Articles of Confederation because the Articles of Confederation had many weaknesses. The Articles did not give Congress the power to place tariffs on foreign goods, hurting American businesses that could not compete with cheaper British goods. The U.S. government had no chief executive so there was no one to enforce the laws that were passed. The new Constitution addressed many of the problems created by the Articles by creating a federal system of government with a much more powerful national government. The Constitution made a stronger Federal government that could unite the States, taking many of the powers held by the States: the right to tax, the right to raise armies, the right to regulate trade and
The two constitution I am gonna compare are the United States of America constitution, and the Canadian constitution. Like the U.S constitution, the Canadian constitution is mostly the same since it got many of its laws from the U.S constitution. Both constitution have many provinces that they are divided into since the place is too big, as well as to divide power, as well as that they both have an executive power since they need someway to be able to divide the power. Unlike the U.S, Canada has a Queen that controls the executive government. Canada has its own version of the Bill Of Rights called Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the end of its constitution.
The Texas and Maine state constitution are both used to govern their respective states. They both limit government, separation of powers, and also they both have bill of rights that protect the rights of the people. But, in various ways, the documents have key differences that distinguishes one from
The United States government is best defined as a federal constitutional republic. As a constitutional republic, the U.S. government is organized by the Constitution, setting forth the political threshold of the people, which are known as the federal and state governments. As a federal republic, the control stands by the people throughout the voting process of electing the federal and state officials. The federal government is limited by the distribution of authority within the states as outlined in the Constitution. Although many people like to call the United States a democracy, this is not the case, because the public does not directly control legislation.
In order to compare and contrast varying types of government within two or more countries, one must have a clear definition of Government and know the purposes it serves. Therefore, I did some research and I have established that Government is a group that exercises dominant power over a nation, state, society or other body of people. Governments are commonly responsible for constructing and implementing laws, handling money, and defending the general population from external threats, and may have other obligations or privileges. All over the world, there are many different types of government within countries. Each kind has its advantages as well as disadvantages regarding the general well-being of its peoples and economy.
Government Government is a system of social control under which the right to make laws, and the right to enforce them, is given to a particular group in society. Government power can be held by one individual, a few, or a majority. Government come in different forms. The basic law determining the form of government is called the constitution and may be written, as in the United States, or largely unwritten, as in Great Britain.