Democracy Defined by Founding Documents

America has forgotten what "democracy" means. And we have fallen prey to the brainwashing of alternative interests to believe that demands of "we the people" for "a more perfect union" and "general welfare" are "socialist" values that must be shunned, rather than recognizing they are the cornerstone democratic ideals contained in the first 29 words of our very own Constitution.

The rhetoric leveraged by "Bad Capitalism" has been weaponized to turn us away from our democratic values, prioritizing The Profit Motive above The Purpose Motive, and in effect pitting Capitalism against Democracy. To be clear, capitalism is a powerful tool that can be used to enhance democracy; but it is currently being used to dismantle it. And in order to stop this dangerous dismantling, we must first take a moment to understand what democracy ever was in the first place.

Democracy, as defined by the United States' founding documents, primarily refers to a system of government where power is vested in the people. Key elements of this definition can be found in several foundational texts, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers. Here are the main points from these documents:

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Consent of the Governed: The Declaration asserts that governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed," emphasizing that the legitimacy of government comes from the people's approval.

Unalienable Rights: It states that "all men are created equal" and are endowed with "certain unalienable Rights," including "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." The protection of these rights is a fundamental purpose of government.

The Declaration of Independence does not mention the term "capitalism" at all. The document, primarily focused on declaring the American colonies' independence from British rule, emphasizes themes such as individual rights, freedom, and grievances against the British Crown rather than economic systems like capitalism.

United States Constitution (1787)

Popular Sovereignty: The Preamble of the Constitution begins with "We the People," indicating that the authority of the government emanates from the people.

Republican Form of Government: Article IV, Section 4 guarantees every state in the Union a "Republican Form of Government," which implies a representative democracy where elected officials serve the will of the people.

Separation of Powers: The Constitution establishes a system of checks and balances through the separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This structure is designed to prevent the concentration of power and protect individual liberties.

Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, explicitly protect individual freedoms such as freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion, and provide for the right to a fair trial, among others.

The United States Constitution does not mention the word "capitalism" even once. The Constitution is primarily a framework for the federal government and outlines the powers and responsibilities of the various branches of government, the rights of states and individuals, and the process for amendments. It does not explicitly reference specific economic systems such as capitalism.

The Federalist Papers (1787-1788)

Federalism: The Federalist Papers, particularly written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, advocate for a strong federal government while preserving the sovereignty of the states. This balance ensures that power is not centralized but distributed to prevent tyranny.

Checks and Balances: Federalist No. 51 discusses the importance of checks and balances within the government to maintain the separation of powers and ensure that no single branch becomes too powerful.

Representation: Federalist No. 10 addresses the need for a large republic to effectively manage factions and ensure that elected representatives act in the best interest of the people, rather than being swayed by transient popular opinions.

The Federalist Papers do not mention the word "capitalism" a single time. The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution. These essays primarily discuss the principles of government, the importance of the Union, the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation, and the proposed Constitution's ability to address these issues. They focus on political theory and governance rather than specific economic systems like capitalism.

In summary, democracy in the context of the United States' founding documents is characterized by the principles of popular sovereignty, individual rights, separation of powers, checks and balances, and representative government. These elements are designed to create a system where the government is accountable to the people and protects their fundamental rights.