Research Paper on Democracy: Government by the People, for the People

Introduction

Democracy is "a government of the people, by the people, for the people," as Abraham Lincoln was famously quoted (Epstein, 820). The basic premise of a constitutional democracy is that the people have voices and must be heard and a government governed by a set of rules or laws (Quigley). Democracy allows people to elect their leaders through free and fair elections and to hold them accountable for their actions. The framers of the constitutions were against a tyrannical government and stipulated that: government should get its powers from the consent of the people being governed; people have fundamental human rights; and that it's important to distribute and balance power within the government (Epstein 823). The American government is recognized as the first liberal nation to adopt a constitution. Several factors necessitated the formation of the American government and the formulation of the constitution, as highlighted below.

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Formation of the American Government

After the American Revolution, the now independent country was still in chaos and was a loose confederation of states. By then, each state had its form of constitution to manage its affairs, and people had individual liberties such as freedom of expression/ speech. Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation as the first American constitution in 1777, November 15th but attained full ratification by the 13 states in 1781. March 1st. The articles were formulated to unify the 13 states, especially in times of national crisis, enabling the formation of the first centralized American government to deal with foreign affairs and national defense (Active USA Centre A.U.C.). Although the creation of the Articles was a significant factor in American democracy, it received mixed reactions from the general public. Some viewed it as weak with many setbacks, while others saw it as highly beneficial.

Benefits and Setbacks of the Articles of Confederations

Perhaps the most significant benefit of the articles of confederations is the unification of the 13 colonies later the 13 states under a single centralized government led by the Congress. The government had the power to declare wars, manage foreign affairs, operate post offices, and sign/ negotiate treaties. Under the new government, the Paris treaty was signed in 1783 to end British hostilities and the revolutionary war in America. More importantly, the government passed the North West ordinance law in 1787 which set rules on how the nation will expand westwards, admission of new states, division/utilization of the new lands and settled ownership disputes of the western territories. Also, the articles encouraged inter-state trade, allowed the government to manage currency, appoint military officers, and borrow money to manage national affairs (Smith 25). Furthermore, the Articles symbolized the first step towards the formation of a new nation under a new government for all to ensure centralized tyranny or monarchical rule was avoided.

Nevertheless, there were tonnes of setbacks from the articles that crippled national progress and complete unification of the colonies. Despite the government having a mandate on foreign affairs, regulate currencies, and manage national defense issues, it was incapable of regulating trade, levying taxes or supervise state activities (Welling). The articles enabled the states to work independently to meet their needs. The country piled up tonnes of national debts during the American Revolution period, but since it couldn't levy taxes, it was incapable of repaying debts and bolster the nation's economy. The federal government even lacked funds to support the military or national defence activities (Welling). Furthermore, since the government could not regulate trade, several states issued their own differing paper money leading to severe economic effects due to the random changes in currency values (Welling). It lacked a national military to suppress internal rebellions as is evident in the Shays rebellion. Furthermore, it lacked an executive and judicial arm to impose laws on states (Active USA Center A.U.C.). Each set had a single representative in the Congress despite the massive population, and to have an amendment, they had to get unanimous consent from all the 13 states. Moreover, to pass a law, 9 of the 13 states had to agree. The system was chaotic, and the government was powerless and weak. Local rebellions and conflicts among the states threatened to dampen the gains from the Revolution. The domestic instability necessitated the need for a new form of governance leading to the formulation of the constitution

The New Constitution

In 1787 majority of the American leaders from the various states assembled and drafted the first American constitution and adopted it in 1788, providing the 1st formal blueprint evidence of an official liberal democratic nation (Hirschl 100). George Washington elected unopposed in 1789 and re-elected in 1792. By the time he completed his second term, political parties were in the arena leading to the election of John Adams, a federalist president then to Jefferson who began a long spell of Republican rule. Candidates competed fairly to be voted in, and this transfer of power to different individuals pioneered a thriving, effective democracy, unlike the violent upheavals of power in European countries at the time (Smith 30). The system perpetually evolved, from a one-party system (Jeffersonian Democracy) to a two-party system (Jackson Ian Democracy) in 1828 during the election of Andrew Jackson and birth of the Democratic Party or democrats. The constitution has evolved from the period of the founding fathers to what it is today through several amendments to factor in various vital issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the articles of Confederation were instrumental in setting the rules for constitutional democracy and ensuring proper governance of the American citizens at all levels of government. The articles were the foundations of constitutional democracy and provided enlightening experience in self-governance under a written document and pointed out loopholes to be amended. It was very instrumental in ending the revolutionary war through the Paris treaty and in set rules for expanding its territories westwards. Through its setbacks, the Articles paved the way for the formulation of a new constitution and the current form of American government as we know it today.

Works Cited

Active USA Center A.U.C. "History of the United States, Forming a New Nation - TheUSAonline.com." The United States of America - USA - TheUSAonline.com, 2019, www.theusaonline.com/history/new-nation.htm.

Epstein, Richard A. "Direct Democracy: Government of the People, by the People, and for the People." Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, vol. 34, no. 3, 2011, pp. 819-826, chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2260&context=journal_articles.

Hirschl, Ran. "The origins of the new constitutionalism." New Constitutionalism and World Order, vol. 11, no. 1, 2004, pp. 95-108, www.repository.law.indiana.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1276&context=ijgls.

Quigley, Charles N. "Constitutional democracy." Center for Civic Education, www.civiced.org/resources/publications/resource-materials/390-constitutional-democracy.

Smith, James A. The Spirit of American Government; A Study of the Constitution: Its Origin, Influence, and Relation to Democracy. Franklin Classics Trade P, 2018.

Welling, George M. "The Formation of a National Government < History 1954 < American History from Revolution To Reconstruction and Beyond." 2012, www.let.rug.nl/usa/outlines/history-1954/the-formation-of-a-national-government.php.