Why Direct Democracy Was Chosen By The Founding Fathers
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The Constitution of the United States was passed by Congress in 15th of September, 1787 and the government established by constitution started operating 6 years after the American revolution. The founders of the constitution also decide that the regimen of the U.S will not be a direct democracy but a democratic republic. Why direct democracy was abandoned by the founding fathers? What type of regime was chosen by them?
The earliest regimen of direct democracy is created by Athenian in about 3000 years ago. In Athenian direct democracy, people recognized as legal status should participate in all politic affairs; all important decisions should be made through the vote from every law-abiding citizens. In contrast to other system at the age, it is very first time the citizens that hold the sovereignty of a country but not a king or a group of nobility…show more content… One of the founding fathers, James Madison, warned people, “a common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole ... And there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual. ” (CITATION) Like other framers of the constitution, his concerns must have evidence behind it. A simple reason is that majority of people would not always make correct decisions. Sometimes majority of people could make decisions that harm the helpless minority if there is no constrain for them. Because that public has the highest power that even on the top of legislative and judicial power, direct democracy could generate a mob rule. The death of Socrates is an example for a mob rule. Although the Athenian created and well enforced the direct democracy, the situation seemed to appear when most Athenians vote for the death of Socrates just because he asserted the opposite opinion to popularity. Hence, it is easy to understand why leaders of nation do not desire a direct