The American System of Government
In struggling to determine whether or not the American political system is pluralistic, elitist, or a representative democracy one must first understand what these systems are. A pluralistic system of government focuses upon interest groups to convey the interests and views of public opinion. An elitist system focuses upon a small "elite" class to rule. Representative government relies upon the voting majority of citizens to reflect who's best to rule. The representative system of democracy was the intentional method of government initiated by the Founding Fathers (Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Ben Franklin). They saw this as the antithesis of the English Parliamentary and Monarchical systems. Representation for the people by the people was the objective. Some two-hundred years later this system still exists after minor modification and adjustments. With the twentieth century coming to a close one might make amends to say that our system of government has reverted to a more pluralistic system. Interest groups have gained so much power that it is unfair to say that they play no role in the validity of government. Our system has adopted pluralism instead of transforming int
In actuality, they interpret laws and the Constitution using their power of judicial review, the power explicitly given to them in Marbury v. They have the power to sway votes and change political action but do not dominate everyday life. The representation of all remains the most vital part of democracy. The electoral college consists of representatives who we elect, who then elect the President. Today interest groups are a vehicle in which people can join and become a part of. Policy making may be considered democratic to an extent. For example, because educated people tend to understand politics more, they are more likely to vote. Because this fills the requirement of regularly scheduled elections, it is a valid process. This abundance of foreign Presidential power may cause one to believe that our democratic system is not controlled through citizen interaction. This leads to further inequality and, therefore, greater unrepresentation in the democratic system. A truly democratic political system has certain characteristics (laws) which are guaranteed and enforced. Who's Running America? The Clinton Years. People with high income and education also have more resources, and poor people tend to have low political efficacy (feelings of low self-worth).
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