Omar Bennett
The American Constitution is often seen as the foundation and epitome of democracy. However, many of the founding fathers were profoundly uncomfortable with what we today think of as democracy: government of, by, and for the people. The Constitution's ability to slow down and even prevent actions or policies that might be popular has frustrated some Americans since the Founding era. The Constitution contains undemocratic provisions, such as the Electoral College and legislative bodies that grossly misrepresent the public.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Slows down the process of lawmaking | Radically |
| Obstacles in the way of interfering with liberty | Major |
| Frustrates the common citizen | Yes |
| Unresponsive to the common citizen | Yes |
| Elitist | Yes |
| Contains undemocratic provisions | Yes |
| Has an Electoral College | Yes |
| Has legislative bodies that grossly misrepresent the public | Yes |
Explore related products
$13.85 $23.09
What You'll Learn
- The Founding Fathers were uncomfortable with the idea of democracy
- The Constitution slows down the process of lawmaking
- The Constitution is an impediment to the US becoming a truly democratic nation
- The Constitution contains undemocratic provisions
- The Constitution has elitist and undemocratic arrangements
The Founding Fathers were uncomfortable with the idea of democracy
The Founding Fathers were profoundly uncomfortable with the idea of democracy. Many of the framers of the Constitution intended to create a government that often frustrates democracy and is unresponsive to the common citizen.
One persistent myth surrounding the framers of the Constitution is that they were strong champions of democracy. However, the fact is that many of the founding fathers were profoundly uncomfortable with what we today think of as democracy: government of, by, and for the people. The Constitution's ability to slow down and even prevent actions or policies that might be popular has frustrated some Americans since the Founding era.
The American Constitution gives, and it takes away: it radically slows down the process of lawmaking, and it places major obstacles in the way of interfering with liberty. The First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law" respecting the establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof; nor may Congress interfere with the freedom of the press, speech, assembly, or petition.
The Constitution is seen as the foundation and epitome of democracy, and its adoption signalled the birth of democracy in the world. However, this very Constitution is actually one of the main impediments to the United States becoming a truly democratic nation. The failures of democracy that the United States suffers from are built into the Constitution, such as the Electoral College and legislative bodies that grossly misrepresent the public.
The Evolution of Missouri's Constitution: A Wordy Beginning
You may want to see also
The Constitution slows down the process of lawmaking
The Constitution is undemocratic in a number of ways. Firstly, it slows down the process of lawmaking. The First Amendment states that 'Congress shall make no law' respecting the establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof, nor may Congress interfere with the freedom of the press, speech, assembly, or petition. This has frustrated some Americans since the Founding era.
Many of the founding fathers were profoundly uncomfortable with what we today think of as democracy: government of, by, and for the people. The Constitution's undemocratic origins are also reflected in the fact that it contains elitist and undemocratic arrangements, such as the Electoral College and legislative bodies that misrepresent the public.
Some argue that the Constitution is one of the main impediments to the United States becoming a truly democratic nation. This is because it was created in the 18th century when Western political cultures were less committed to democratic norms than they are today. For example, the House of Lords in Great Britain was originally made up of the nobility, but this has since been reformed.
The Constitution's undemocratic elements can also be seen in the fact that it gives and takes away. It places major obstacles in the way of interfering with liberty, which can slow down or even prevent actions or policies that might be popular. This has been a source of frustration for some Americans since the Founding era.
Georgia's First Constitution: Weaknesses and Limitations
You may want to see also
The Constitution is an impediment to the US becoming a truly democratic nation
The US Constitution is an impediment to the country becoming a truly democratic nation. While many Americans see the Constitution as the foundation and epitome of democracy, this document is actually one of the main barriers to the US achieving true democracy.
The Constitution was created in the 18th century, when Western political cultures were less committed to democratic norms than they would become in the 20th century. Many of the founding fathers were profoundly uncomfortable with what we today think of as democracy: government of, by, and for the people. The Constitution gives with one hand and takes away with the other: it radically slows down the process of lawmaking, and it places major obstacles in the way of interfering with liberty. For example, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law" respecting the establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof; nor may Congress interfere with the freedom of the press, speech, assembly, or petition.
The Constitution also contains undemocratic provisions that are not present in the constitutions of other advanced democracies. For instance, the US has an Electoral College and legislative bodies that grossly misrepresent the public. These elitist arrangements are impediments to democracy and are unresponsive to the common citizen.
As Jedediah Purdy explained in his recent book:
> Our mainstream political language still lacks ways of saying, with unapologetic conviction and even patriotically, that the Constitution may be the enemy of the democracy it supposedly sustains.
Citing the American Constitution: First Part
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Constitution contains undemocratic provisions
The Constitution radically slows down the process of lawmaking and places major obstacles in the way of interfering with liberty. For example, the First Amendment states that 'Congress shall make no law' respecting the establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof; nor may Congress interfere with the freedom of the press, speech, assembly, or petition. This ability to slow down and even prevent actions or policies that might be popular has frustrated some Americans since the Founding era.
The US Constitution is also unique among advanced democracies in its inclusion of undemocratic arrangements, such as the Electoral College and legislative bodies that grossly misrepresent the public. These institutions are described as 'elitist' and are not present in the constitutions of other advanced democracies, many of which were created in the 20th century when Western political cultures were more committed to democratic norms.
The US Constitution has been described as containing 'undemocratic elements', with one source listing seven of these.
Understanding the Constitution's First Three Words: We the People
You may want to see also
The Constitution has elitist and undemocratic arrangements
The Constitution is seen as the foundation and epitome of democracy, and its adoption was thought to have signalled the birth of democracy in the world. However, many of the failures of democracy that we suffer from in this country are built into the Constitution. The constitutions of most other advanced democracies do not contain such undemocratic provisions.
The US Constitution has elitist and undemocratic arrangements that other constitutions do not have, such as Electoral Colleges and legislative bodies that grossly misrepresent the public. Some countries did start out with some elitist institutions, like the House of Lords in Great Britain, but later reformed them.
First Impressions: The Power of '8 to 10' Words
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is seen as undemocratic because it slows down the process of lawmaking and places major obstacles in the way of interfering with liberty.
The US Constitution slows down the process of lawmaking by including an Electoral College and legislative bodies that misrepresent the public.
The US Constitution is also undemocratic because it includes provisions that are not found in the constitutions of other advanced democracies, such as the Electoral College and legislative bodies that misrepresent the public.
For many Americans, the US Constitution is seen as the foundation and epitome of democracy. Its adoption signalled the birth of democracy in the world.
