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Thursday, January 28, 2010
A Passion for Freedom Part II - The 'Excesses of Democracy"
12:12 PM | 
Posted by
TheWishPlace
The Framing (Federal) Convention's record proves that by dcrying the 'excesses of democracy' the Framers were not opposing a popular type of government for the United States - their whole purpose was to create a sound system of this type. To contend to the contrary is to falsify history - which not only maligns the Framers but also the spirit of the Free Man in America - all those people of that period who were grateful for the Constitution. The Constitution provided, under the Republic it created, liberties protected against abuse by all possible violators, including the Majority.
By protesting the 'excesses of democracy', the Framers were simply making clear their sound reasons for preferring a Republic as the proper form of government. As a result of history, the Framers knew that a Republic provided the best safeguards and only effective safeguards for people's liberties. This of course supposes that a Republic form of government is actually enforced. It is interesting to note that in 1789 Jefferson wrote to Madison:
"The tyranny of the legislatures is the most formidable dread at present, and will be for many long years. That of the executive will come its turn, but it will be a remote period."
In any Democracy, Direct or Representative, as a form of government, there can be no legal system which protects the Individual or Minority (any or all) against unlimited tyranny by the Majority. A Republic, however, is an entirely different form of government and therefore has a different purpose. Its purpose is to protect the Individual's God-given, unalienable rights and liberties of people in general. It strictly controls the Majority. A Republic is a constitutionally limited government of the representative type created by a written constitution, adopted by the people and changeable by them only by its amendment, with powers divided between three separate branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial.
By protesting the 'excesses of democracy', the Framers were simply making clear their sound reasons for preferring a Republic as the proper form of government. As a result of history, the Framers knew that a Republic provided the best safeguards and only effective safeguards for people's liberties. This of course supposes that a Republic form of government is actually enforced. It is interesting to note that in 1789 Jefferson wrote to Madison:
"The tyranny of the legislatures is the most formidable dread at present, and will be for many long years. That of the executive will come its turn, but it will be a remote period."
In any Democracy, Direct or Representative, as a form of government, there can be no legal system which protects the Individual or Minority (any or all) against unlimited tyranny by the Majority. A Republic, however, is an entirely different form of government and therefore has a different purpose. Its purpose is to protect the Individual's God-given, unalienable rights and liberties of people in general. It strictly controls the Majority. A Republic is a constitutionally limited government of the representative type created by a written constitution, adopted by the people and changeable by them only by its amendment, with powers divided between three separate branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial.
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