Wednesday, August 17, 2011

United States Government: Division of Power Safeguards Rights

Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried. -Winston Churchill

In terms of efficiency, no system of government could be worse than democracy. Different national parties frustrate each other in promoting their own agendas, all at the expense of the states and the people, much of the time with scant results. The whole process strikes many Americans as tedious and tiresome, especially now with both parties unable to enact necessary budget cuts while preserving cherished entitlements.

Yet one-man rule inevitably leads to rule for one man. Rule by a selected elite leads to the few ruling on behalf of the few. Democracy places power in the hands of the many. Fearing that leadership of the many, however, would harm everyone, the Framers of the United States Constitution designed a Republic whose branches represent the clashing interests of popular, statewide, and elite groups. Each branch of government checks and balances the others branches of government, ensuring that no one class or party gains power at the expense of the others. Essentially, the US Constitution channels selfish ambition to promote outcomes which are the least detrimental to the states and the people.

Though a tedious and tiresome process to many, the United States Constitution provides the framework for a government which safeguards the rights of all.

No comments:

Post a Comment