Absolutism Vs Federalism
Whether or not this nation is a republic or a democracy is an age old question that has been asked since the nation had its revolution and separation from England. In Federalist Paper No. 39, Madison points out that many nations before us have been incorrectly called Republics, including England, from whom we parted. A republic form of government is what Americans fought for in the Revolution and the definition and characteristics of this form of government are made clear by Madison.
A republic gains its power from the people. The people elect, directly or indirectly, those they would like to have in office. The fact that the power is derived from the people is important because it is what Americans fought for when cutting ties with England.
In Federalist No. 39, Madison lists some nations that have been referred to as republics such as Holland, Venice, Poland, and England. These nations are incorrectly referred to as republics, because they do not derive their power from the people. They are aristocratic and monarchial in nature, everything that a republic is not. Any nation that has its power in the hands of a few select people cannot be considered a republic because it is a direct contradiction to what the word means.
Those elected need to have good behavior or a passion for the people and the position that they will hold in order for the Union to thrive. Having the people vote is important because they will be able to elect those who can best serve their needs, but the candidates need to be worthy of office and ensure that the peoples’ voices will be heard. Good behavior means to be uninfluenced by corrupt thoughts and selfish measures. It is human nature for one to put himself first and consider the well-being of himself and those close to him before others. However, the Constitution has checks in place to make sure that this kind of corruption does not happen, or at the very least that it is contained. The limited time frame that each person holds in office ensures the people that those who are elected to office will not be able to set their own agendas and corrupt others as well. Through the Constitution, there is a two-year limit for representatives, six-year limit for those in the Senate, and a four-year term for presidency. The framers of the Constitution set these restrictions in place so that corruption and the ideas of only a select few will not be a problem.
Our government is not wholly federal or national, but rather a mix between the two.
A republic gains its power from the people. The people elect, directly or indirectly, those they would like to have in office. The fact that the power is derived from the people is important because it is what Americans fought for when cutting ties with England.
In Federalist No. 39, Madison lists some nations that have been referred to as republics such as Holland, Venice, Poland, and England. These nations are incorrectly referred to as republics, because they do not derive their power from the people. They are aristocratic and monarchial in nature, everything that a republic is not. Any nation that has its power in the hands of a few select people cannot be considered a republic because it is a direct contradiction to what the word means.
Those elected need to have good behavior or a passion for the people and the position that they will hold in order for the Union to thrive. Having the people vote is important because they will be able to elect those who can best serve their needs, but the candidates need to be worthy of office and ensure that the peoples’ voices will be heard. Good behavior means to be uninfluenced by corrupt thoughts and selfish measures. It is human nature for one to put himself first and consider the well-being of himself and those close to him before others. However, the Constitution has checks in place to make sure that this kind of corruption does not happen, or at the very least that it is contained. The limited time frame that each person holds in office ensures the people that those who are elected to office will not be able to set their own agendas and corrupt others as well. Through the Constitution, there is a two-year limit for representatives, six-year limit for those in the Senate, and a four-year term for presidency. The framers of the Constitution set these restrictions in place so that corruption and the ideas of only a select few will not be a problem.
Our government is not wholly federal or national, but rather a mix between the two.