Democracy What the founding fathers really thought about it

Benjamin Franklin "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"

Hey guys! What’s for lunch? What now?

Thomas Jefferson Though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal laws must protect, and to violate would be oppression. Translation: Although majority rule should determine law, That majority decision must be reasonable; Minority groups have equal rights, Which the law must protect And if the majority votes to remove these laws, It is oppression A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51% of the people may take away the rights of the other 49%.

John Adams That the desires of the majority of the people are often for injustice and inhumanity against the minority, is demonstrated by every page of the history of the world. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. Translation: The fact that the majority often wishes to practice injustice and cruelty against minority groups can be seen time and time again throughout history.

James Madison Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their death. Democracy was the right of the people to choose their own tyrant. Translation: Democracies have always displayed instability and disagreement; They work against the goal of maintaining personal security or property rights and have in general lasted for only a very short time and ended violently.

Alexander Hamilton Real liberty is never found in despotism or in the extremes of democracy... … The ancient democracies in which the people themselves deliberated never possessed one good feature of government. Their very character was tyranny; their figure deformity. … it has been observed that a pure democracy if it were practicable would be the most perfect government. Experience has proved that no position is more false than this …

The United States is A Democracy OMG!

The United States is A A

Democracy  All people vote on all things  Majority always rules  Rule by the people  All people vote on all things  Majority always rules  Rule by the people  All people vote for representatives to do their everyday voting for them  Majority does NOT rule when their will goes against the principles of the Constitution  Rule by elected representatives in different branches Republic

James Garfield The people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature....

What happens when we let the majority vote on the rights of minorities?

What about today?