Why was America never meant to be a democracy?

Question

The American system is not a democracy. It is a constitutional republic. A democracy, if you attach meaning to terms, is a system of unlimited majority rule; the classic example is ancient Athens. And the symbol is the fate of Socrates, who was put to death legally, because the majority didn't like what he was saying, although he had initiated no force and had violated no one's rights.

Democracy, in short, is a form of collectivism, which denies individual rights: the majority can do whatever it wants with no restrictions. In principle, the democratic government is all powerful. Democracy is a totalitarian manifestation; it is not a form of freedom....

The American system is a constitutionally limited republic, restricted to the protection of individual rights. In such a system majority rule is applicable to lesser details, such as the selection of certain personnel. But the majority has no say over the basic principles governing the government.

Leonard Peikoff

Answer 1

yeah what you said...

Answer 2

The United States. Democratic status. Was the source of the controversy at Valley Forge. The founding fathers were democratic. The people who wanted a republic almost starved the entire American army out to prove their point. Then it was set up as a democracy for the people and Thomas Jefferson ended up speaking a lot about it. Then these losers called the puratins came in, representing the republic (big businesses). They fought for almost 100 years to reverse the constitution and all the equal rights stuff. Now you see it, they still try to make it a nazi or king james state. But most of what they have done is public. Because of their joker mentality, now many huge financial industry based entities have more power then people and actually contradict what America stands for. America is supposed to be a democracy, but because of the corrupt idiots who took unrestrained actions. Some things like the federal government. Even though they are a corporation. As a ruling body. It's just a mish mash of good people and dirty people who support business over people.

Answer 3

Because our forefathers realize the majority is not always right. They added some checks and balance to ensure there is some respect to minority rights (Not meant as in racial minority). The most important reason was that they recognizwe that each of the thirteen colonies had their own culture and beliefs. The attitudes of teh SOuth was different from the north. They wanted some guarantees these differences was respected. They also recognize, that the country is too large to govern through direct Democracy and so they prefer a representative government.

Answer 4

A true democracy is pretty impossible once the group is too big to fit in a room. The citizens of Athens could easily all meet together. But remember that most of the people of Athens had no say either, they were women or slaves. So much for democracy.

Answer 5

Try writing your own opinion next time. America is a representative republic. Had you not skipped so many classes in high school government class, you would have known this if one of many forms of democracy. When the people elect representatives to vote on their behalf, we are still participating in democracy.

Answer 6

USA is republic divided into states. There is no democracy because the government is controlled by representatives of the states through the parties that wins in the election.

Answer 7

well if the majority wanted to take individual rights away, it could. But it can'T because the majority doesn't want that to happen and it doesn't have enough people in it to amend the constitution.