American democracy: what is it and what’s wrong with it?

In this post, I will clearly define what “American democracy” is and point out what’s wrong with it.

1. What is democracy?

Here is my simple definition: one person, one vote, without discrimination based on race or gender.

2. Was America founded as a democracy?

No!

America was founded as a [representative] republic (American Political Taxonomy Simplified), specifically precluding democracy. Two highlights:

The word “democracy” is not in the U.S. Constitution.
The Framers detested democracy so much, as highlighted by the image below, that they instituted several mechanisms to avoid it (aka “rule by a simple majority”). For example, they set up three different forms of majority for the House, the Senate, and the Presidency, respectively.

For more, read America: What did the Founding Fathers do, actually?

3. Is America a democracy now?

Yes, it is, especially by the definition of one person, one vote, without discrimination based on race or gender!

4. How did America evolve into a democracy?

Focusing on voting rights only, let’s divide American history into three distinct periods shown below.

Highlights:

1776–1920: Let’s call this period “less than half”, during which less than half of the American (voting age) population had voting rights.
1920–1965: Let’s call this period “more than half”, during which more than half of the American (voting age) population had voting rights.
1965–Present: Let’s call this period “full”, during which all (voting age) Americans have voting rights.

Now, let me further elaborate on each …

4.1 Less than half

“We the People”, so begins the U.S. Constitution.

Who are “the People” referenced?

They included everybody, except for the minorities, women, and even white men without [enough] property.

4.2 More than half

On August 18, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, which gave women the right to vote.

America’s version of more than half was still not democracy because it featured racial discrimination, which is against a basic ideal of democracy and a basic American ideal: All men are created equal.

4.3 Full

On August 6, 1965, President LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law, which prohibited racial discrimination in voting. It finally ended an ill legacy of racism that permeated throughout American history (by then), thus realizing the democratic ideal of one person, one vote, without discrimination (e.g., race, gender, or religion), at last!

What a disastrous destination of a long-misguided journey!

5. What’s wrong with democracy?

Democracy is a proven failure throughout history, without a single example of lasting success (e.g., 200 years).

Below is an excerpt from Alexander Tytler on democracy:

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.

The key for a country built to last is meritocracy. This should be very obvious if you know anything about Confucius. Below is an excerpt from 10 Major Contributions of Chinese Philosopher Confucius:

One major influence of Confucian teachings was the concept of meritocracy, where a person’s qualities determine his position in society rather than his inherited status.

Below is a critical perspective.

6. What’s wrong with American democracy?

Simply put, American democracy is wrong because democracy is wrong!

Specifically, over the past 200 years, America has been single-mindedly pursuing voting rights, without meritocracy!

Now, three critical questions:

What’s the relationship between property ownership and meritocracy?
What’s wrong with America’s voting rights today?
How could America have got it so wrong?

Let me answer them one by one …

6.1 What’s the relationship between property ownership and meritocracy?

Read the image below …

6.2 What’s wrong with America’s voting rights today?

Read the image below …

The image below is a harsh reality check.

For more, read Is America no longer governable?

6.3 How could America have got it so wrong?

First off, blame these two big, bankrupting slogans:

“All men are created equal” – Read “All men are created equal,” really?
“We the People” – Read “We the People”, really?

Next, blame Thomas Jefferson for these two big, bankrupting slogans (and more) – See image below.

For more, read Critically Assessing Thomas Jefferson.

Most profoundly, America might be doomed to fail from the start – Read Colonial America 1776-2030?

7. Closing

Democracy, in terms of voting rights without discrimination, was not realized in America until 1965. It was a disastrous destination of a long-misguided journey because democracy is a proven failure throughout history. There is not a single example of democracy with lasting success (e.g., 200 years). America will prove to be no exception!

America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline), or face a bloody revolution (A quarter of Americans open to taking up arms against government, poll says)!