Liberal Democratic Model in the USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Liberal Democratic Model in the USA - Essay Example Liberal Democratic Model - USA There exist different versions of liberal democracy adopted by countries. Using case study, this paper will address the concept of liberal democracy in the United States of America. Freedom of speech, elections, and separation of power, are components of democracy, which will be analyzed using the liberal democratic model to determine how USA embraces liberal democracy. The concept of democracy dates back to Aristotle’s era. He was the first Greek philosopher to explore this concept. Later, Christian thinkers related democracy with the worship of God, that all human beings are equal before God. The American Revolution was first to introduce components of liberal democracy. Slavery and other discriminatory practices were abandoned, as Americans embraced a more popular rule. This marked a new beginning of liberal democracy in America. Today, liberal democracy is associated with the American political philosophy (Vanberg, 2011). Components of libera l democracy are dynamic. For instance, in the 18th Century, liberalism protected citizens from the government. However, in 20th Century people started to consider governments as source of protection from social crimes. In the USA, the human rights activists rely on government authority to develop programs that enhance human rights. The government is no longer a threat to its citizen’s freedom, but a positive force (Neal, Douglas, Simon, and Joseph, 2012). The liberal democratic model encompasses three views, political pluralism, the elitist theory, and the Marxist view of power. As we shall see, political pluralism is deeply rooted in American politics. Pluralism theory holds that multiple groups, and not few individuals, run a country. These groups are; trade unions, environmental groups, and civil rights bodies, among others, which influence a country’s policymaking process. In pluralism, political power is distributed differently among the groups. For example, the C ongress addresses tax issues, the president sends the USA army on missions, the Supreme Court passes the death penalty, and a police officer stops a motorist for over speeding. In the USA, of all the multiple groups, no single elite group dominates. Some of these groups are well funded, organized, and have more influence, while others are not. They also vary in size, are politically autonomous, and exercise their right to participate in the politics. Freedom of speech is an element of democracy, which characterizes a pluralist society. In democratic states, freedom of speech ranks above all liberties. In the US, freedom of speech is provided in the constitution’s First Amendment of the Bills of Rights, and in different state and federal laws. Individuals and organized groups, including the media, are free to air their opinions on political decisions, thus indirectly controlling political leaders. Individuals have the right to gather information and hold meetings. However, in the US, restrictions are put on child pornography, obscenity, and lawless acts, among others. Separation of power is another element of democracy present in a politically pluralist society. In the US, state power is divided into three parts. These are: 1. The legislative power (the Congress) 2. The executive power (the president) 3. The judiciary power (Courts) The US constitution authorizes the legislative to makes law, the executive to enforce law, and the judiciary to interpret law.