EVOLUTION OF DEMOCRACY

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Instructor

November 2005

The Evolution of Democracy in the United States

Outline

Individual rights and the freedom to accumulate unlimited private wealth set the United States apart from other countries with similar representative democracies , and from sovereign lands with alternative structures of governance as well . Constitutional rights have stood up to the strongest of currents that had the potential to alter fundamental rights in some way . New challenges to the political structure loom on the horizon : they could lead to a weakening of the federal monolith . We

may see such a trend as an evolution towards a system of referenda in which citizens will take back powers they have given to their representatives

Introduction

Most countries exhaust their annual quotas of US immigrant visas in hours . The frenzy to be a part of the `American Dream ' extends to countries that are openly critical of United States policy in many respects . The unwavering protection of individual liberty and the celebrated success stories of capitalism wash over any murmurs of criticism from any quarter

It has taken less than 2 centuries for the United States to take the kind of lead over other parts of the globe that conquerors and civilizations could not achieve for eons in medieval and earlier times People who were far ahead of early European immigrants between the 16th and 19th centuries , and from whom the stock of America citizenry has been derived , now struggle far behind the quality of life and private power of which even middle-class US nationals can now boast

There are serious downsides in some social values . Technology presents new challenges . The long-term seems less stable and certain than the short and medium term outlooks . Important ethnic changes are afoot . They will not hide beneath the surface for much longer

It would appear that the glorious economic achievements of US democracy and its unique commitment to individual liberties have some significant threats for company . A weakening of the federal structure , with simultaneous empowerment of citizens in decision-making could be the next evolutionary step . This would take US democracy closer to the present Swiss system of democracy by referendum

Thesis Statement

Democracy in the United States has served to protect individual liberty and the right to private enterprise since Independence . It needs to evolve from a representative system to one of referenda , similar to the Swiss system , in to meet future challenges

Colonization

16th and 17th century European pioneers combined force and tact to acquire large tracts of highly productive agricultural land from Native Indians . They sowed the seeds of democracy to establish some semblance of civil amongst themselves . They achieved notable progress over the feudal and subjective systems of governance that tribes used European settlers also developed infrastructure and procedures to conduct commerce in the surplus that they were able to generate from their estates . Their conventions were more egalitarian than their own kin followed in the monarchies of their countries of origin

The War of Independence

Taxes in various forms...