Iris Marion Young's Views On The Deliberative Model Of Democracy

However, contrary to popular belief, democracy, if not implemented properly, can be a “slow, messy, combative and often inefficient form of government” as

The continuing struggle to achieve civil rights despite the Civil Rights Movement highlights the ways in which the Madisonian Democratic system is failing in the United States. Madisonian Democracy and a majoritarian understanding of democracy are based on similar ideas but have a distinct and important difference: protection of minorities and individual rights. A majoritarian democracy is one in which the majorities win without consideration for minority rights and is, perhaps, democracy in it’s simplest form – the people or the elected officials vote, and the majority vote wins. A Madisonian Democracy is a composite form of government. Like a majoritarian democracy, the majority opinion holds most the power, however, checks and balances are put in place to ensure a protection of minority and individual rights, as well as minimize the risk of abusive uses of power.

The greatest differences between a republic and pure democracy are the delegation of elected officials, and a republic allows for the government to govern a much larger area. In a republic, elected officials, noted for their wisdom, must be capable of making decisions for the public good despite any of their personal interests. The system allows the public’s voice to be represented by representatives that are more inclined to political action of the good of the whole society. However, such a system relies heavily on the election of beneficial

• Politicians who patronizes the species of government have reduced the mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights. • Madison explains the difference between democracy and republic. There are two main difference between them, I. First, the delegation of the government is small number of citizens elected by the

Legislative and judicial decisions are the results of faction, as the decisions made affect “the rights of large bodies of citizens”. Justice would balance the views of each side, “and the most numerous party… or… the most powerful faction must be expected to prevail”. Madison stated that a single, uniform party in power will adopt legislation that benefited the class that party represented, but allowing more parties and therefore more people to participate makes the legislative process more democratic and less like a monarchical form of government. The thesis is extended: “The inference to which we are brought is, that the CAUSES of faction cannot be removed, and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its EFFECTS”. It is the goal of government to then limit the extent to which factions influence politics through partisanship, so as “to preserve the spirit and the form of popular government”.

Federalist #10, written by James Madison, is a text that offers an alternative approach to America's democratic governmental institutions. Presenting the downfalls of American democracy, such as unequal representation, Madison advocates for a governmental structure that appeals to a wider variety of constituents. Conversely, Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville praises American democracy in its current form. Although Tocqueville concedes that American democracy is fallible, it presents American government as an exemplary model for countries ruled by aristocracies. Madison and Tocqueville present contradicting opinions concerning the way in which democracy often allows majority interests to influence the everyday workings of government.

Citizen Participation is one democratic feature. Citizen Participation is not only rights, it is a duty. Citizens are allowed to vote, and much more. The House of Burgesses allow citizens to have a voice in government by letting the citizens vote. Examples of activities that suggest the importance of a legislature are..

However, some people have been excluded and unable to feel free and frankly, it isn’t truly a democracy until everyone

Additionally, a democratic constitution specifies both the means through which legislation is enacted, as well as the ways in which agents are constrained from undermining the sovereign authority and rights of their constituents (Freeman, 3). Thirdly, a democratic constitution must support majority rule, but also allow for the expression of a diverse set of interests in policy (KJKV, 28). In other words, a democracy necessitates majority support for legislation, and the constitution must be constructed in ways that express and preserve the rights and powers of those constituents (Dahl, 137). Therein lies where apportionment of power in the Senate fails ‘democratically’. To be strongly majoritarian, citizens’ votes in small states should not surpass those of citizens in largely populated states as is practiced in the Senate (KJKV, 28).

Many modern civilizations in the west pride themselves on being democratic societies where every person possesses liberty and equality. Every citizen possesses certain rights that cannot be taken away and every citizen is equal under the law; it is upon this foundation that the institutions of modern democracy are built. However, the idea of democracy is not unique to modern societies in the west. In the fifth and fourth centuries BC, the ancient Athenians developed and implemented a democratic government with principles of liberty, equality, and citizenship. Two authors who explore the democracy, liberty, and equality of both Athenian and modern governments are Martin Ostwald and Mogens Hansen.

The book covers various topics such as the principles of equality and individualism, the decentralization of political power, the role of civil society, religion, and the rule of law, and the potential benefits and dangers of democracy. Tocqueville examines the unique features of American democracy and how they have influenced American society. The book offers an analysis of American democracy that remains relevant to discussions of democracy and its challenges. "Democracy in America" is a work of political philosophy that provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of democracy and its potential to promote freedom, justice, and equality. Tocqueville’s vocabulary and context used are much different than any American of the 20th century would use but the validity of his statements is still looked upon today.

As a democracy, American government and society is organized around a series of fundamental principles and values. The Declaration of Independence establishes some of these principles, including the idea of equality for all individuals, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status. It equally establishes the idea of sovereignty, which dictates that the ultimate source of power in government is the will of the people (The Declaration of Independence: Full Text). To reinforce these principles, other ideals exist in the Constitution of the United States, and they include limited government, representative democracy, and the protection of individual rights and freedoms (Hamilton et al.). These values and principles guide America’s democracy

Today, there is a very interesting situation that is happening, where people are questioning the value of past ideas and political systems, but also the mechanisms that they use to bring about the political goals that these systems claim to promote. In the case of democracy, people are not only questioning if democracy can really make all citizens politically equal, meaning that each person has one vote, freedom of speech, and the right to determine their own lives within the bounds of the law. But people are also questioning whether democracy requires rational deliberation at all. This makes sense with not only the amount of people today who refuse to participate in it due to their own biases and often ignorance, but also how much seems to

In the United States, people always talk about freedom and equality. Especially they want elections could be more democratic. In American Democracy in Peril, Hudson’s main argument regarding chapter five “Election Without the People’s Voice,” is if elections want to be democratic, they must meet three essential criteria, which are to provide equal representation of all citizens, to be mechanisms for deliberation about public policy issues, and to control what government does. Unfortunately, those points that Hudson mentions are what American elections do not have. American elections do not provide equal representation to everyone in the country.

Many people believe that the election plays the most important role in democracy. Because a free and fair election holds the government responsible and forces it to behave on voter's interest. However, some scholars find evidence that election itself is not enough to hold politicians responsible if the institutions are not shaping incentives in a correct way. In other words, the role of the election on democracy, whether it helps to serve the interest of the public or specific groups, depends on other political institutions. I