The concept of democracy, borrowed from the freemasons?

Question

Freemasons have had a "democracy" within the lodge for hundreds of years.

Answer 1

The U.S. concept of democracy has three sources. First, the English government at the time was not an absolute monarchy. The Parliament in England was a model for the American bicameral system. Second, the Netherlands was a major influence on American democracy. The U.S. was NOT the first functioning democracy in modern Europe (forget the failure in Greece in ancient, and mostly forgotten, times). Democracy in the Netherlands predates democracy in the U.S. by over 150 years. The American founders learned many useful lessons from both the British Parliament and the Dutch government. Third, the democracy practiced in the Lodges was another influence, although minor compared to the first two. The notion that the American founders looked to the Iroquois confederacy is not really based on fact. That idea arose in the last half of the twentieth century to make the U.S. government look more "native". If there was some influence, it was quite minor.

Read "The First Salute" by Barbara Tuchman for an excellent discussion of the thinking of the founding fathers about democracy and how the British Parliament and the Netherlands Democracy shaped the way our country is governed.

Answer 2

I don't think it's borrowed from the Freemasons. The Freemasons had a hand in developing the country, no? So the concept was introduced by Freemasons, who brought it into mainstream thinking.
It was a gift.

Answer 3

Nope. There were democracies in early Greek times...depends on what type of democracy you are talking about

Answer 4

i think the concept of democracy comes from ancient Greek. That's how their governments were. 'Democracy' is ancient Greek anyway i think, means something like 'many people'

Answer 5

I heard the Iroqois Indian nation.

Answer 6

Borrowed, perhaps, from child care...
"Diapers and politicians should be changed often... and for the same reason."