How democratic is the American Constitution

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How democratic is the American Constitution?
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Today

• Review of the argument
• Your reactions to Dahls argument
• Prerequisites for democracy?

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Dahls argument

• The Constitution is not a sacred text
• Ours is no better than other democratic systems
• Our system does not live up to modern democratic
  standards

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How is our Constitution undemocratic?

• Slavery
• No guarantee of suffrageleft up to states
• Insulated from popular control
• Senate
• Judicial review
• No clear allowance for regulation or taxes

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Why is our Constitution undemocratic?

• Politics of ratification

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How has the Constitution become more democratic
over time?

• Expansion of suffrage
• Abolition of slavery
• Changes to election of Senators

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Other democratic systems arent like ours!

• Unitary, not federal
• Unicameral (not bicameral) legislatures
• No judicial review
• Parliamentary not separated system
• PR not Plurality

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Plurality vs. Proportional Representation

• PLURALITY
• Just need one more vote than next candidate to
  win a seat in legislature
• Favors two parties

• PR
• Party gets seats in legislature proportional to
  the percent of the vote it received
• Favors multiple parties

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Our democracy is no better than other democracies

• Stability
• Individual rights
• Responsiveness
• Equality and policy outcomes

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U.S. Compared to other Democracies
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On a scrap of paper, answer the following
questions. (Put a question mark if you dont
know the answer.)

• 1. What is a primary election?
• 2. How long is the term in office for a member of
  the House of Representatives?
• 3. Who is William Rehnquist?
• 4. Who is Dennis Hastert?
• 5. Which political party is more conservative?
• 6. What did President Bush talk about on
  Thursday?
• 7. What countries did the U.S. fight against in
  World War II?