Essay about Where Democracy Comes From

Submitted By bballbren
Words: 1186
Pages: 5
Open Document
Where Democracy Comes From
The way the United States of America is governed today is by a democracy. Democracy comes from many different time periods and different thinkers that thought that monarchy is wrong and not the right way to handle a government. The four main reasons democracy was developed was from the key episodes in history that include the Magna Carta, Parliament in England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution.
The signing of the Magna Carta in England was one of the high points in the development of Democracy because it made the monarchs obey the law and the nobles had certain laws. This later spread to the rest of the English citizens. According to Ellis and Esler, “This document contained two very important ideas that would shape English government in the future.” ( Ellis and Esler 246) Which meant they couldn’t do anything more than the citizens he/she is ruling. The two ideas were that the nobles only had certain rights and the second was that the monarchs must obey the law. This was significant to the development of Democracy because these laws would give the citizens much more say in what they do and how they would later, after many more steps in history, rule themselves (Democracy). This is not how the citizens are ruled, but this later helped with the development of Democracy. ( Ellis and Esler 246) Therefore, the Magna Carta is one of the main reasons Democracy developed into the form that exists today. This later developed into Parliament.
Parliament in Europe was one of the many important steps to the development of democracy. Parliament is what the Magna Carta was followed by. Parliament played a large role in helping to unify England’s government (Ellis and Esler 247) . Parliament, “consists of the sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons.” (Ellis and Esler 247) This later became England’s legislature. Parliament later came up with the “power of the purse.” Which meant the monarchs had to meet his demands before voting for more taxes,. This limited the monarchs power. Limiting the monarch’s power was important to the development of democracy because the monarch couldn’t throw a citizen in jail for no reason, voting on taxes without meeting his demands first, or making new laws that don’t make sense. This gave the citizens he is ruling some say in what they do (voting, rights, and can’t be accused of something without clear evidence they did). Which is what everyone wanted. (Ellis and Esler 247) In conclusion, Parliament was one of the key events that occurred during the development of Democracy because this gave the United States of America it’s freedom from Britain and the United States formed into a Democracy.
The American Revolution was one of the key steps in the development of democracy because the American Revolution lead to freedom and a Democracy to the United States. It started with the 13 colonies developed by Britain’s growing empire. But later the colonists declared freedom from Britain. The declaration took place because the colonists didn’t want taxes on goods like newspapers and pamphlets(Stamp Act). This was connected to the development of Democracy because the colonists demanded freedom and if they didn’t protest, they would’ve never gained their freedom from their victory from the American Revolution. They established a Democracy afterwards because they wanted freedom and didn’t like monarchy. This sparked the American Revolution. After most battles ended in Britain’s victory, the colonist kept fighting and in 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Britain (Ellis and Esler559-560). Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence. This document expressed John Locke’s idea for the government to protect people’s natural rights (“life, liberty, and property”). This connects to Democracy because this gave people more rights than they had. The more rights people had, the happier they were. On
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about Where Democracy Comes From

Democracy In Ancient Greece

The ancient greeks were very smart people that created the idea of democracy, a system where people vote on laws and people are citizens. At one point some of the city-states were not a democracy but an oligarchy. In ancient Greece, the only people that were considered citizens were the 40,000 grown men. At about 800 BC Greece recovered and started learning about the arts. At about 650 BC the greeks developed chariots and fully understood the arts. A pattern of decline began in Greece around…

Words 433 - Pages 2

Ancient Mediterranean Democracy

Democracy is the political governing that the ancient Mediterranean world used for many years. It was a crazy idea and didn’t work out the way many people anticipated. It mainly ended up looking like a circus. Socrates was even murdered over it. Democracy like any form of government, to this day, has good things about it and it also has bad points that humans have tried to change over time to find the “perfect” governing structure. Some reasons democracy had failed in the ancient Mediterranean world…

Words 1022 - Pages 5

The Pros And Cons Of Tiananmen Square Protests

America, peer review and feedback from consumers of products and ideas is the sustaining force of democracy. In politics, public forums and the right of free speech provide an open space for criticism and feedback from constituents and even those not allowed to vote because of their age or past unlawful convictions. However, when these rights are eliminated, that is when a society shifts away from democracy and towards dictatorship or other forms of government where the common man has no voice. In…

Words 1005 - Pages 5

The Influence Of Democracy In The United States

When talking about the advancement of democracy, democracy must first be defined. Democracy is a system of government in which officials are voted on by an entire population. The democracy, although is not all powerful, makes the laws for all of its inhabitants. It controls what people do in society and can be very influencing to the people, but people can also be just as influential to it. Throughout many years democracy has changed and grown but it is not done advancing yet. Many parts of society…

Words 1388 - Pages 6

Drew: United States and People Essay

Democracy, Plutocracy and Plutonomy When we discuss political topics, usually when referring to the form of government practiced in the United States and probably in many other countries; we generally refer to a democratic government, or perhaps we could also refer as a constitutional government. Although, if this is our first response, we should start doing some research. For many people, the terms “Plutonomy” and “Plutocracy” are not only completely unfamiliar words but also for some mysterious…

Words 1847 - Pages 8

Direct Democracy vs Representative Democracy Essay

Direct Democracy vs Representative Democracy The term Democracy is derived from two Greek words, demos, meaning people, and kratos, meaning rule. These two words form the word democracy which means rule by the people. Aristotle, and other ancient Greek political philosophers, used the phrase, `the governors are to be the governed', or as we have come to know it, `rule and be ruled in turn'. The two major types of democracy are Representative Democracy and Direct Democracy. Clearly…

Words 964 - Pages 4

Surely: World War Ii and Democracy Essay

1. “Surely the Board knows what democracy is.” a. Here White uses a sarcastic tone to almost question the knowledge and the power to the alluded War Board. The use of the word surely forms the sarcasm in the question. He assumes that the War Board should now what democracy is in that they are the ones asking the question, but he provides the implication that they do not understand the aspects of democracy under the circumstances of World War II and the governments use of power. 2. “It is the…

Words 1240 - Pages 5

A Revolution Of The Mind: Reviewed By Dylan Seelye

Enlightenment: Philosophy, Revolution, and Human Rights” and “Enlightenment Contested: Philosophy, Modernity, and the Emancipation of Man”. Which act as trilogy of the history of Radical Enlightenment along with the intellectual origins of modern day democracy. Jonathan also has received the American Historical Association’s Leo Gershoy prize and the Benjamin Franklin Medal by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce both are very prestiges awards. He is widely renowned…

Words 721 - Pages 3

The “Myth” of Democracy Essay example

The “Myth” of Democracy Upon leaving the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked what form of government the United States was going to have. Franklin answered: "A Republic, if you can keep it.". He did not say that Americans were given a pure democracy, yet people today have always assumed that the United states is, and always has been, a pure democracy. A democracy does not simply mean the right to vote, freedom of speech, or equality under the law; it is…

Words 860 - Pages 4

Conch Lord Of The Flies Essay

Flies (pig’s head) are important symbols, but what do they mean and how do the boys on the island perceive them as? Furthermore, the Conch is a symbol of democracy, and The Lord of the Flies is an indication for dictatorship and control. To understand this, one must look at scenes where the items appear, how the items are used, and quotes from the book. We know that in the book William Golding has added symbolism throughout the story and has given objects more meaning than what meets the eye, but…

Words 611 - Pages 3