Democracy means "ruled by the people." In a democratic government, power comes from the people; America was founded on that principle. Obviously, America is too vast for every citizen to take active part in the Government, so America is more of a representative democracy than a direct one. Since Leaders are elected to represent the people, the United States can then be described as a republic. Since we live in a society in with the principle "Government by the people" hold true, everyone is free to vote in order to choose who might hold the most qualifications to be a leader. Another idea that is apart of America Democracy is that all people are of equal worth, even if not of equal ability.
Limits of Individual Freedom
Even though by definition, America is a "free" country. There are certain limitations on one's rights. Civil Liberties are the "specific rights of a free society that are protected by the Bill of Rights."
English: Louis Brandeis
English: The Supreme Court of the United States. W...
English: West face of the United States Supreme Co...The Supreme Court makes decisions in the area of civil liberties and individual rights, these decisions often show the tension between liberty and order in a free society. Everyone will never be satisfied regarding the balance between the rights of an individual and rights of society.
Supreme Court and the Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments of the constitution. The Bill of Rights is the fundamental expression of American Liberties. Ultimately, the Supreme Court decides how those amendments should be defined and applied. The Supreme Court is made up of nine justices. Originally, the Bill of Rights was passed to apply directly to the federal Government; the Supreme Court has ruled that the Bill of Rights also applies directly to state and local governments.
The first amendment and freedom of speech
The first...