Why is America a Democracy? The electorate does not legislate. It does not directly govern itself or determine national foreign policy. Nor does it decide on how the laws are enforced. It allocates all those powers of a legislator, executive, or judge to others who represent their will and secure their general welfare. Since “democracy” means “people rule,” how can the American people rule in a representative democracy, otherwise called a democratic republic? Our founders thought—perhaps, hoped—that America would always have an informed electorate, representatives of high moral character who could be trusted, and an independent judicial system. The only assurance they could provide for the preservation of this American republic was a Constitution that not only reinforced the ideals for this new republic but also a system of government that would assure it could not be overthrown by hegemonic, imperial/dictatorial, or corruptive forces. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787 Benjamin Franklin defined America’s new democracy as a “republic, if we can keep it.”
Even the author of the American colonies’ Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, had his doubts about the future of this new democratic republic. After receiving a draft of the new American Constitution from James Madison, he replied to his friend as follows:
“ this reliance (on the electorate) cannot deceive us as long as we remain virtuous (italics my own): and I think we shall be so, as long as agriculture is our principal object, which will be the case, while there remain vacant lands in any part of America. When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become corrupt as in Europe, and go to eating one another as they do there.” ¹
It may shock some to read this excerpt, but the context explains his words. As our ambassador to France, he was witness to the political turmoil in Paris, which mirrored the protests and street violence occurring in many cities throughout Europe at the time. Whereas the American population of three million souls was spread across the Eastern Coast of the new world, Paris, like all the major cities in Europe, was densely populated. Jefferson’s prognosis for the new world was realistic, given his firsthand experience of the old world. But I see some reprise in his use of the word “virtuous.” It speaks to the very ideals that inspired his enlightened declaration of freedom. He imagined an informed and patriotic citizenry committed to maintaining peace, the general welfare, and liberty and justice for all. He questioned,
“whether peace is best preserved by giving energy to the government, or information to the people. This last is the most certain, and the most legitimate engine of government. Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them. And it requires no very high degree of education to convince them of this. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” ¹
My wife is a teacher, so she has no doubt in the importance of an education. At times, I worry about how well we “educate and inform” our children in their American heritage and their role in the “preservation of our liberty.” Not many of us will earn Pulitzer or Noble Prices. But we should know and understand the significance of our founding documents and our individual responsibility to preserve and evolve that legacy in a changing world. Sovereignty in this democratic republic rests with the people. My concern is peeked during elections when we choose who will represent us. Will the people we put in office serve the general welfare and adhere both to our Constitution and our founding principles? Our elected representatives must be accountable to us, not to campaign financiers or Party bosses. This system of government depends upon an informed citizenry and both the trusts bequeathed to its representatives and their moral character in serving that trusts.
“In God we trust” is written on the back of our one-dollar bill. But God does not vote in our general election. Belief in God, however, can guide our every decision. When it does, we trust the outcome of our decisions and actions. In fact, belief is behind much of what we do, including who we love, what we support, and who we vote for. It is the basis for our Pledge of Allegiance. When we vote, we not only express our belief in “liberty and justice for all,” but display our trusts that candidates for government office not only share our beliefs but will act on them.
Why, you might ask, does this blog space sometimes sound a Cassandra-like alarm of impending doom? The answer can be found in the dark mirror of contemporary America where ignorance and apathy inhibit belief in our founding ideals, where our elected officials undermine our trusts by serving partisan and personal interests rather than the general welfare, where our government substitutes “educate and inform the whole mass of the people” with lies, propaganda, and conspiracy theories designed to dupe Americans into supporting the greed and power mongering of corrupt and incompetent public officials. Of course, this dark reflection can be shattered by an electorate that believes truth matters, equal opportunity matters, our Constitution matters, black lives matter, healthcare matters, planet health matters, and America’s virtue really matters.
America’s virtue is the belief its citizens must share in its founding ideals, the trust its citizens must demand of public officials to serve those ideals and their general welfare, and the patriotism its citizens must muster to realize the promise of a more perfect union. Without this virtue, our republic will not and cannot be called a democracy.
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¹ Thomas Jefferson, “The Writings of Thomas Jefferson,” selected and edited by Saul K. Padover, Easton Press, Norwalk, Connecticut, P. 314-315.