Is America a democracy?

[Uawc]

There's much disagreement on this, and/but/so I wanted to make a poll about it. Do you think America is a democracy?

I would say no, because democracy is supposed to work from the bottom-up, and decisions are supposed to be made by common consent. It's supposed to be rule by the people (and for the people), but America's political system is a highly bureaucratic top-down authority.

I'm not even going to begin talking about lobbyists.

[Parthenon]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

[New Sociopia]

There are multiple types of democracy. None of them really work. :/

[EvilDarkMagicians]

Of course the U.S is a democracy...what are you on?

[Uawc]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

In my middle school they told me that both America and Canada are democracies.

[Lord-General Drache]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

Actually, yes and no. They mention it's a representative republic, but then consistently refer to it as a "democracy." I've noticed alot of people sincerely believe it's a democracy, and have no clue what a "representative republic" happens to be.

[Lackadaisical2]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

In my middle school they told me that both America and Canada are democracies.

It all depends what you mean when you say 'democracy' they're both representative democracies.

[Uawc]

There are multiple types of democracy. None of them really work. :/

That's a very strange comment from someone whose political compass seems to point to left libertarianism.

[City of Norfolk]

Public schools are so basic these days, the United States is a Democratic Republic, not an outright democracy. We have laws that govern our democracy, such as the right to a fair trial.

Canada on the other hand is a bit unique, they are a constitutional monarchy. Which the Parliament is elected democratically, doesn't mean its a democracy.

[Uawc]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

In my middle school they told me that both America and Canada are democracies.

It all depends what you mean when you say 'democracy' they're both representative democracies.

Representative democracy is not democracy.

[Intersystems Alliance]

To be honest, America is pretty much a Banana Republic nowadays.

[Lackadaisical2]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

In my middle school they told me that both America and Canada are democracies.

It all depends what you mean when you say 'democracy' they're both representative democracies.

Representative democracy is not democracy.

yeah, youtube video, very convincing, its just a term, as long as people understand what you're talking about it doesn't matter.

[Zeppy]

Ah, I hate the game of political semantics.

Democracy is a political government carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (Representative democracy).

[Zeppy]

Representative democracy is not democracy.

YouTube is the new Wikipedia, I guess.

[Lackadaisical2]

Ah, I hate the game of political semantics.

Democracy is a political government carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (Representative democracy).

agreed.

[EvilDarkMagicians]

To be honest, America is pretty much a Banana Republic nowadays.

If this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_republic is the definition your going by then that's not even slightly how America is run.

[Panzerjaeger]

Representative democracy is not democracy.

YouTube is the new Wikipedia, I guess.

Youtube is more trustworthy then Wikipedia. *nods*

[Natapoc]

No. It has some institutions that get close to being "democratic" in some ways mostly at a local level. But America is mostly an Oligarchy of the rich and for the rich.

[Uawc]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

In my middle school they told me that both America and Canada are democracies.

It all depends what you mean when you say 'democracy' they're both representative democracies.

Representative democracy is not democracy.

yeah, youtube video, very convincing, its just a term, as long as people understand what you're talking about it doesn't matter.

It's extremely ignorant of you to dismiss something just because it's on YouTube, especially when the video contains real statistics that you can look up yourself.

[The chrisman union]

True democracy is like true communism; it doesn't exist.

[EvilDarkMagicians]

No. It has some institutions that get close to being "democratic" in some ways mostly at a local level. But America is mostly an Oligarchy of the rich and for the rich.

Until now I always thought that was spelt Oilgarchy...

[Tekania]

There's much disagreement on this, and/but/so I wanted to make a poll about it. Do you think America is a democracy?

I would say no, because democracy is supposed to work from the bottom-up, and decisions are supposed to be made by common consent. It's supposed to be rule by the people (and for the people), but America's political system is a highly bureaucratic top-down authority.

I'm not even going to begin talking about lobbyists.

America is a Democratic Republic, as such it is a "Democracy"... That is a "Democracy" in the modern sense, and not the Classic Sense... Just as it's also a Republic in the modern sense, but not the classic sense.

[Zeppy]

America is a Democratic Republic, as such it is a "Democracy"... That is a "Democracy" in the modern sense, and not the Classic Sense... Just as it's also a Republic in the modern sense, but not the classic sense.

Really, this debate is left to the dictionary.

[Minotzia]

The US is a federal constitutional republic, though there are some things (like referendums) that are direct democracy.

[F1-Insanity]

Yes, but not on the federal level in and of itself.

Popular votes do not take place on the federal level. Only on state level and below.

The USA is a republic with a representative (of the states) democracy.