Example Of Origin And Development Of Constitutional Democracy In The United States Essay

After reading the second chapter of the book, I learned that Constitutional democracy in the United States was not naturally implemented and practiced in the country. The constitution of the United States has undergone many amendments before it became the constitution that is no practiced and applied in the entirety of the country. During the years that the country was under the colonization of Great Britain, the need for concrete and strong laws to help build the nation again. After being colonized, the United States employed the use of a federal system of government. This means that the power to govern the country lies in the hands of a President, and the Governors of the individual states. Moreover, one of the most distinctive characteristics of the federal system, is the separation of powers in the government. This refers to the division of the government into the three main branches namely Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. All of these three branches have their own functions and roles in the government. However, though these branches work individually, they work hand in hand in making sure that the others are able to perform their duties. This component of the constitution aims to ensure that there is proper division and fulfillment of responsibilities within the government. The legislative looks after the executive, the executive looks after the judicial, the judicial looks after the legislative, and vice versa. Though the current constitution may still have some rooms for improvement I believe that it is actually effective as it currently is. Having a federal system of government, I believe, is one of the strengths of America. For some countries, the authority and power is often times too focused in the hands of the few. This gives them more opportunity to increase their power, which is why cases of corruption is usually high in these countries. I believe that there is much more to do than focusing on the loopholes of the constitution, which Is why I believe that there is no need to change anything yet. Though the constitution is not all there is to a country, it plays a huge role in ensuring that authorities, lawmakers, and Government officials work with the aim of fulfilling their duties, and have a bias towards the people, and not towards themselves. Which is why the duration of the terms of elected government officials are also indicated in the constitution, specifically in the 22nd Amendment of the Us constitution. The President-elect may serve two full, four-year terms. However, if a president claimed presidency through virtue of succession, an additional two years can be added to the allowable term, which is now equivalent to 10 years (O’Connor, Sabato, Yanus 24-55). Works Cited
O'connor, Karen, Larry J. Sabato, and Alixandra B. Yanus. "Chapter 2: The Constitution." American Government: Roots and Reform. 12th ed. N.p.: Pearson, 2014. 26-55. Print.