Majority Tyranny Research Paper

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Democracy is a form of government in which the sovereign powers is vested on the people as a whole, and is either exercised directly by them or indirectly by representatives elected by them. It is no secret that throughout history the democratic institutions and ideals have changed, and to this day the ideals of a democratic government can seem a bit controversial. The reason being is that there are two main forms a democratic government can take, it can be an indirect government in which only a select representatives have power, or a representative democracy. Although the concept of democracy is its political origin, it is the ideals and principles of it that hold great meaning in the U.S. Having a democratic government in the U.S means…show more content…
One example could be the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, many Americans’ became very hostile towards the Muslims in the United States, therefore making a minority a target. Although this could seem like a valid example as to why democracy shouldn’t be put into place because of majority tyranny, you have to look at all the angles of the situation. Majority tyranny is believed to become an issue in threatening our liberty and minorities, but we must reject that view, since there hasn’t been any evidence proving that majority rule inevitably threatens liberty. Although there have been instances throughout history of majority tyranny, it hasn’t been consistent to where it would become an overbearing issue that needs to be addressed. Another reason why majority tyranny shouldn’t be that pressed of an issue, has to do with a democracy requiring majority rule and minority rights. Majority rule is limited in a democracy to protect minority rights, if majority rule were to be unchecked it would probably be used to oppress those with an opposing view. When creating the foundation of this government two main questions had to be asked. When and under what conditions should the rule of the majority be checked to protect the rights of the minority? And conversely, when and under what conditions should the rights of the minority be constrained in order to prevent majority tyranny? In the end, both majority rule and minority rights have to be safeguarded in order to sustain justice in a constitutional

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