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Can the U.S. technically be called an oligarchy and a democracy?
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I thought theoretically the U.S. could be a democracy (because people have a say in the daily workings of the government) and an oligarchy ( the president, the Supreme Court, etc... are the only ones who have any actual power, meaning making all the big decisions). Is this true?
democracy political-theory political-system terminology definitions
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
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up vote
4
down vote
favorite
I thought theoretically the U.S. could be a democracy (because people have a say in the daily workings of the government) and an oligarchy ( the president, the Supreme Court, etc... are the only ones who have any actual power, meaning making all the big decisions). Is this true?
democracy political-theory political-system terminology definitions
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
63.7k7127220
asked 3 hours ago
user50780
1238
New contributor
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
I thought theoretically the U.S. could be a democracy (because people have a say in the daily workings of the government) and an oligarchy ( the president, the Supreme Court, etc... are the only ones who have any actual power, meaning making all the big decisions). Is this true?
democracy political-theory political-system terminology definitions
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
63.7k7127220
asked 3 hours ago
user50780
1238
New contributor
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I thought theoretically the U.S. could be a democracy (because people have a say in the daily workings of the government) and an oligarchy ( the president, the Supreme Court, etc... are the only ones who have any actual power, meaning making all the big decisions). Is this true?
democracy political-theory political-system terminology definitions
democracy political-theory political-system terminology definitions
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
63.7k7127220
asked 3 hours ago
user50780
1238
New contributor
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
63.7k7127220
asked 3 hours ago
user50780
1238
New contributor
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
63.7k7127220
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
63.7k7127220
edited 55 mins ago
Brythan
63.7k7127220
63.7k7127220
asked 3 hours ago
user50780
1238
New contributor
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 3 hours ago
user50780
1238
asked 3 hours ago
user50780
1238
1238
New contributor
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
user50780 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
Technically, yes. From the wikipedia article on Oligarchy:
Although an oligarchy is usually seen as tyrannical, most modern states rely on some form of oligarchy, usually in the form of representative officials deciding national policy. The concern of tyranny usually occurs when the rule of law is violated or when there's limited separation of powers.
A democracy in which there isn't this intermediary of elected officials would be a Direct Democracy
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
I've down voted this answer because the United States, by definition, design, and practice, is not an Oligarchy.
– Drunk Cynic
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
No, the United States Federal Government is not an Oligarchy. It was founded, designed, and intended to be a Republic. It is on the pathway of transitioning from a Republic to a Representative Democracy. At its heart, the United States is built with firm protections for the Rule of Law, recognizing that government derives its power from the populace. The people vote for elected officials, which are intended to represent their interests.
An oligarchy is the condition where the power structure rests with a small group of people. Attempts to paint the the US Federal government as an as such because the recent Presidential election wasn't decided by the national popular vote, or that Republicans control all three branches, are intellectually disingenuous. Further, they highlight a misunderstanding of the republic constructs that persist from the founding.
Protections that guaranteed proportional representation for each State in the decision of who would lead the executive branch of the Federal government constructed as a Constitutional Republic were built to ensure the Federal government remained accountable to each state. With the current dispersion of the population, if the Presidency was decided by popular vote, the influence of a few states would greatly exceed the rest. These protections are now described as the Electoral College.
In addition to complaining about the Electoral College, there is growing sentiment that the Senate is insufficiently democratic. This is a feature of the system, not a bug. Here, each state has two senators to ensure that each state has equal representation in one half of the Legislative branch of the Federal Government. At inception, the strength of the States influence on the Senate was even greater, because Senators were appointed by the State Legislatures themselves. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution ended this protection to State Power by transforming Senator elections to a popular vote.
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
Technically, yes. From the wikipedia article on Oligarchy:
Although an oligarchy is usually seen as tyrannical, most modern states rely on some form of oligarchy, usually in the form of representative officials deciding national policy. The concern of tyranny usually occurs when the rule of law is violated or when there's limited separation of powers.
A democracy in which there isn't this intermediary of elected officials would be a Direct Democracy
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
I've down voted this answer because the United States, by definition, design, and practice, is not an Oligarchy.
– Drunk Cynic
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
Technically, yes. From the wikipedia article on Oligarchy:
Although an oligarchy is usually seen as tyrannical, most modern states rely on some form of oligarchy, usually in the form of representative officials deciding national policy. The concern of tyranny usually occurs when the rule of law is violated or when there's limited separation of powers.
A democracy in which there isn't this intermediary of elected officials would be a Direct Democracy
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
I've down voted this answer because the United States, by definition, design, and practice, is not an Oligarchy.
– Drunk Cynic
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
Technically, yes. From the wikipedia article on Oligarchy:
Although an oligarchy is usually seen as tyrannical, most modern states rely on some form of oligarchy, usually in the form of representative officials deciding national policy. The concern of tyranny usually occurs when the rule of law is violated or when there's limited separation of powers.
A democracy in which there isn't this intermediary of elected officials would be a Direct Democracy
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
Technically, yes. From the wikipedia article on Oligarchy:
Although an oligarchy is usually seen as tyrannical, most modern states rely on some form of oligarchy, usually in the form of representative officials deciding national policy. The concern of tyranny usually occurs when the rule of law is violated or when there's limited separation of powers.
A democracy in which there isn't this intermediary of elected officials would be a Direct Democracy
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
answered 3 hours ago
Gramatik
6,41731237
6,41731237
I've down voted this answer because the United States, by definition, design, and practice, is not an Oligarchy.
– Drunk Cynic
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
I've down voted this answer because the United States, by definition, design, and practice, is not an Oligarchy.
– Drunk Cynic
1 hour ago
I've down voted this answer because the United States, by definition, design, and practice, is not an Oligarchy.
– Drunk Cynic
1 hour ago
I've down voted this answer because the United States, by definition, design, and practice, is not an Oligarchy.
– Drunk Cynic
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
No, the United States Federal Government is not an Oligarchy. It was founded, designed, and intended to be a Republic. It is on the pathway of transitioning from a Republic to a Representative Democracy. At its heart, the United States is built with firm protections for the Rule of Law, recognizing that government derives its power from the populace. The people vote for elected officials, which are intended to represent their interests.
An oligarchy is the condition where the power structure rests with a small group of people. Attempts to paint the the US Federal government as an as such because the recent Presidential election wasn't decided by the national popular vote, or that Republicans control all three branches, are intellectually disingenuous. Further, they highlight a misunderstanding of the republic constructs that persist from the founding.
Protections that guaranteed proportional representation for each State in the decision of who would lead the executive branch of the Federal government constructed as a Constitutional Republic were built to ensure the Federal government remained accountable to each state. With the current dispersion of the population, if the Presidency was decided by popular vote, the influence of a few states would greatly exceed the rest. These protections are now described as the Electoral College.
In addition to complaining about the Electoral College, there is growing sentiment that the Senate is insufficiently democratic. This is a feature of the system, not a bug. Here, each state has two senators to ensure that each state has equal representation in one half of the Legislative branch of the Federal Government. At inception, the strength of the States influence on the Senate was even greater, because Senators were appointed by the State Legislatures themselves. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution ended this protection to State Power by transforming Senator elections to a popular vote.
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
No, the United States Federal Government is not an Oligarchy. It was founded, designed, and intended to be a Republic. It is on the pathway of transitioning from a Republic to a Representative Democracy. At its heart, the United States is built with firm protections for the Rule of Law, recognizing that government derives its power from the populace. The people vote for elected officials, which are intended to represent their interests.
An oligarchy is the condition where the power structure rests with a small group of people. Attempts to paint the the US Federal government as an as such because the recent Presidential election wasn't decided by the national popular vote, or that Republicans control all three branches, are intellectually disingenuous. Further, they highlight a misunderstanding of the republic constructs that persist from the founding.
Protections that guaranteed proportional representation for each State in the decision of who would lead the executive branch of the Federal government constructed as a Constitutional Republic were built to ensure the Federal government remained accountable to each state. With the current dispersion of the population, if the Presidency was decided by popular vote, the influence of a few states would greatly exceed the rest. These protections are now described as the Electoral College.
In addition to complaining about the Electoral College, there is growing sentiment that the Senate is insufficiently democratic. This is a feature of the system, not a bug. Here, each state has two senators to ensure that each state has equal representation in one half of the Legislative branch of the Federal Government. At inception, the strength of the States influence on the Senate was even greater, because Senators were appointed by the State Legislatures themselves. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution ended this protection to State Power by transforming Senator elections to a popular vote.
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
No, the United States Federal Government is not an Oligarchy. It was founded, designed, and intended to be a Republic. It is on the pathway of transitioning from a Republic to a Representative Democracy. At its heart, the United States is built with firm protections for the Rule of Law, recognizing that government derives its power from the populace. The people vote for elected officials, which are intended to represent their interests.
An oligarchy is the condition where the power structure rests with a small group of people. Attempts to paint the the US Federal government as an as such because the recent Presidential election wasn't decided by the national popular vote, or that Republicans control all three branches, are intellectually disingenuous. Further, they highlight a misunderstanding of the republic constructs that persist from the founding.
Protections that guaranteed proportional representation for each State in the decision of who would lead the executive branch of the Federal government constructed as a Constitutional Republic were built to ensure the Federal government remained accountable to each state. With the current dispersion of the population, if the Presidency was decided by popular vote, the influence of a few states would greatly exceed the rest. These protections are now described as the Electoral College.
In addition to complaining about the Electoral College, there is growing sentiment that the Senate is insufficiently democratic. This is a feature of the system, not a bug. Here, each state has two senators to ensure that each state has equal representation in one half of the Legislative branch of the Federal Government. At inception, the strength of the States influence on the Senate was even greater, because Senators were appointed by the State Legislatures themselves. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution ended this protection to State Power by transforming Senator elections to a popular vote.
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
No, the United States Federal Government is not an Oligarchy. It was founded, designed, and intended to be a Republic. It is on the pathway of transitioning from a Republic to a Representative Democracy. At its heart, the United States is built with firm protections for the Rule of Law, recognizing that government derives its power from the populace. The people vote for elected officials, which are intended to represent their interests.
An oligarchy is the condition where the power structure rests with a small group of people. Attempts to paint the the US Federal government as an as such because the recent Presidential election wasn't decided by the national popular vote, or that Republicans control all three branches, are intellectually disingenuous. Further, they highlight a misunderstanding of the republic constructs that persist from the founding.
Protections that guaranteed proportional representation for each State in the decision of who would lead the executive branch of the Federal government constructed as a Constitutional Republic were built to ensure the Federal government remained accountable to each state. With the current dispersion of the population, if the Presidency was decided by popular vote, the influence of a few states would greatly exceed the rest. These protections are now described as the Electoral College.
In addition to complaining about the Electoral College, there is growing sentiment that the Senate is insufficiently democratic. This is a feature of the system, not a bug. Here, each state has two senators to ensure that each state has equal representation in one half of the Legislative branch of the Federal Government. At inception, the strength of the States influence on the Senate was even greater, because Senators were appointed by the State Legislatures themselves. The 17th Amendment to the Constitution ended this protection to State Power by transforming Senator elections to a popular vote.
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
answered 1 hour ago
Drunk Cynic
7,57232650
7,57232650
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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