Democracy

What the founding fathers really thought about it

What the founding fathers really thought about it

Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"

Hey guys! What’s for lunch?

What now?

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

Though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail,

that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights,

which equal laws must protect, and to violate would be oppression.

Translation:Although majority rule should determine law,

That majority decision must be reasonable;Minority groups have equal rights,

Which the law must protectAnd if the majority votes to remove these laws,

It is oppression

A democracy is nothing more than mob rule,

where 51% of the people may take away the rights

of the other 49%.

John AdamsJohn Adams

That the desires of the majority of the people

are often for injustice and inhumanity against the minority,

is demonstrated by every page of the history of the world.

Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself.

Translation: The fact that the majorityoften wishes to practice

injustice and cruelty against minority groups

can be seen time and time againthroughout history.

James MadisonJames Madison

Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property

and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been

violent in their death.

Democracy was the right of the people to choose their own tyrant.

Translation:Democracies have always

displayed instability and disagreement; They work against the goal of maintaining

personal security or property rights and have in general

lasted for only a very short time and ended violently.

Alexander HamiltonAlexander HamiltonReal liberty is never found

in despotism or in the extremes of democracy...

…The ancient democracies in which the people themselves deliberated

never possessed one good feature of government.

Their very character was tyranny; their figure deformity.

…it has been observed that a pure democracy

if it were practicable would be the most perfect government. Experience has proved that no position

is more false than this…

The United States isThe United States is

A DemocracyA Democracy

OMG!

The United States isThe United States is

A A

DemocracyDemocracy All people vote on all

things

Majority always rules

Rule by the people

All people vote on all things

Majority always rules

Rule by the people

All people vote for representatives to do their everyday voting for them

Majority does NOT rule when their will goes against the principles of the Constitution

Rule by elected representatives in different branches

All people vote for representatives to do their everyday voting for them

Majority does NOT rule when their will goes against the principles of the Constitution

Rule by elected representatives in different branches

RepublicRepublic

James GarfieldJames Garfield

The people are responsible

for the character of their Congress.

If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt,

it is because the people tolerate

ignorance, recklessness and corruption.

If it be intelligent, brave and pure,

it is because the people demand these high qualities

to represent them in the national legislature....

What happens when we let the majority vote on the rights of minorities?

What happens when we let the majority vote on the rights of minorities?

What about today?What about today?