What classifies us as being American citizens? Why is there an America? Why is America admired throughout the world? In all these answers one would tell you democracy. As a global society America is the eager teenager protesting their new thought democracy. Democracy, a principle that has created enemies and friends, war and even model governments all over the world.
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary the definition of democracy is a government by the people; the people hold rule of majority a government in witch a supreme power, or in simpler terms majority rules. The people that built the united states of America had no idea that their creation would become a world power as explained in many history books they where the outcasts coming to a new land to start over. Back to the word democracy or by the people: at the time the creators of the constitution without the future we have now in mind they made laws based on the current time. In making decision of who would run this great democracy there had to be a way to choose the leader of the executive branch. Naturally, “for the people by the people and of the people” would have been in mind.
However you must think of the people at the time. In the eyes of some of the framers of the constitution some of the people were not educated nor had the government that they created been mature. However more than anything else due to lack of mass communication that we now have today people where easily mislead. Most framers felt that the representinitive that the people chose should elect the leader seeing both sides the framers chose a compromise to have a popular vote and implemented a system called the Electoral College. According the Encarta encyclopedia software.
The description of Electoral College is collective name for the electors who nominally choose the president and vice president of the United States. This group comprises the electors from the separate states who are selected by the voters in presidential elections. Each state is entitled to a number of electors equal to the total number of senators and representatives it sends to the U. S.
Congress. So how does this system effect society? As a future sociologist in my opinion it gives America especially black America a great mistrust, of our system of government. During the time when these laws where made many people did not vote it was only for the elite and formally educated people. So there was an elite and formally educated system created to fit the needs of 18th century Americans. In the United States we have outlived many laws as a country.
Many concepts that where once unheard of are now everyday things. Our founding fathers probably never imagined radio, telephones or television. I do not think our grandparents even thought the Internet would be possible or as lucrative as it is. As a future public policy maker it is a social problem to not trust “the people”.
The people know that they are not trusted and in this particular election I know black people especially feel let down by the system. As a future sociologist a scientist of people I feel it is the obligation of myself and other people in my field to help public policy makers come up with a system that better represents the people. It is also my obligation to help the people better understand the system. Bibliography:encarta and internt .
