This country functions as a constitutional democracy “the authority of the majority is limited by legal and institutional means so that the rights of individuals and minorities are respected”(Center for Civic Education). While each sovereign state with its people has contracted with this federal system to operate and govern thereby, in recent years there seems to be the appearance of the presence of an oligarchy.
I came across an article written by the BBC in 2014. www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746. According to a study from two professors Martin Gilens and Benjamin that was done through survey questions from 1981 to 2002 on public policy issues. Who’s study concluded "Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on US government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence."(BBC news). The survey questions asked were broken down into levels of income as well as organized special interest groups to determine if their preferred policies were enacted. The results of the study indicated “A proposed policy change with low support among economically elite Americans is adopted only about 18% of the time, while a proposed change with high support is adopted about 45% of the time"(BBC News).
Based on this information given in this study we are shown that Americans deal with greed and a desire to control the outcomes their governed by. This is contrary to the concept of being governed by constitutional rule of law and places our nation in danger of losing the liberties as outlined by this constitution. The constitution is merely a standard with which those elected are to abide by. If money influences special interest groups and these groups influence those in power then money inadvertently is manipulating the decisions of the elected instead of being representative of those who elected them. This not only represents a possible constitutional crisis but also a moral and ethical crisis as well. To quote Henry St. James Bolingbroke “ in every kind of government some “controls” must be lodged in particular men, or particular bodies of men, for the good order and preservation of the whole community. The lines which circumscribe these “controls”, are the bounds of separation between the purgatives of the prince, or other magistrate, and the privileges of the people. Every step which the prince, or magistrate makes beyond these bounds, is an encroachment on liberty, and every attempt towards making such a step is a danger to liberty. Thus we see how great a trust is reposed in those to whom such ”controls” are committed; and if we look into the heart of a man, we shall soon discover how great, though unavoidable a temptation is laid in their way. The love of ”control” is natural; it is insatiable; almost constantly whetted, and never cloyed by possession.” This is a powerful statement because it indicates that control is a natural desire for every human. When power is being influenced by money we now add greed on top of the desire to control. The combination of greed and the desire to control is a cocktail for destruction of individual sovereignty. In other worlds the voice of we the people is being over powered by the natural tendency to crave power and control by a few. This is a perfect example of an oligarchy in action.
Our Constitutional Democracy is an amazing platform for a thriving government. It has a balanced system maintained by a set of governing rules outlined with in the constitution and are upheld by those who are trusted with elections by the people to do so. If policy making which influences and controls such standards, and those policies are manipulated by the power of money as apposed to the purpose of our established constitutional democracy then our form of government is being threatened and undermined while liberty and freedom for all is at stake. If this continues how long will we remain a constitutional democracy.
Works Cited
“CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY.” Center for Civic Education, www.civiced.org/resources/publications/resource-materials/390-constitutional-democracy. Accessed 03 May 2018.
“Study: US Is an Oligarchy, Not a Democracy.” BBC News, BBC, 17 Apr. 2014, www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746.Accessed 03 May 2018