Kallie, Week 9: Power to the People?
America was founded on the promise of power to the people. No longer would a monarch or merely an elite few rule over the masses. Instead, America would be a democracy exemplifying the ideals of liberty and equality. Of course, even from its inception, this was not exactly true; in the beginning, the right to vote was limited to only a select few — more than before, certainly, but far from a true democracy where power was truly vested in the masses.
America has come a long way since. Largely through the efforts of civil rights activists, suffragettes, and other activists, many marginalized groups who previously did not have voting rights gained enfranchisement over the years. So, now that the majority of citizens in the United States do have voting rights, does the power lie with the people?
Well, kind of. As previously mentioned, America has undoubtedly progressed from its founding days, when mostly only white men with property could vote. But America is still far from anything resembling a perfect democracy — if one is achievable at all.
For one, representation can be manipulated so that the majority opinion is not the one that prevails. In her biography My Life on the Road, Gloria Steinem recounts an instance where, in the 1970s, women’s conferences were held in states across America to discuss issues pertaining to women’s rights.
The goal was to attempt to determine what the majority opinion amongst the women of America was. Yet, this goal was not shared by all the attendees.
In Washington, for example, “only about 2 percent of the population…was Mormon, but nearly half the women attending that state’s conference were.” Similarly disproportionate attendances appeared in Michigan and Missouri as well. These disparities were no coincidence — they were the result of an organized effort by Mormons to “head off the Equal Rights Amendment,” which they believed would “take women out of a traditional role by offering them equality outside the home.”
Efforts such as these are just one example of how “democracy” and representation in America can be manipulated so that the power does not actually lie with the majority of people. Other efforts are far more subtle and systematic, such as setting barriers to voting in ways that target specific groups without targeting them outright.
So has America realized its dream of granting power to the people? …Yesn’t.
Hi Kailey! I enjoyed reading your blog focused on the status of the United State’s democracy, a timely topic considering we are approaching the 2024 presidential election! I specifically enjoyed your small, yet extremely helpful, background information which effectively provided your audience with necessary contextualization about the topic you discussed. Considering the rights of American citizens and democracy in general can be a very dense and difficult topic to understand, your usage of an informal tone and rhetorical questions helped engage the reader with your dialogue and discussion of the blog. I found your discussion about the state of American democracy to be very constructive, pointing out both positives achieved in recent years and subsequent negatives as well. I personally connect with the issue you pointed out, specifically I remember asking my parents when I was in elementary school if there was any point in participating in American politics, if one vote out of hundreds of millions makes a difference. My parents nobly responded by saying being able to participate in democracy is a privilege regardless of the power one may hold. So taking from my parents’ insight, I will say there is, although small, a sense of power for the people. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
ReplyDeleteHi Kallie! After reading your post I realized we had a very similar approach to the meaning of power in our blogs this week. I completely agree with you and was interested in how we were both able to speak on somewhat the same topic but portraying it through our own individual interpretations. For example, I noticed how throughout your blog you highlighted ideas and efforts like "'democracy' and representation." Through your excellent elaboration on the illusion of power within the people, I was able to easily comprehend truly how often "the majority opinion is not the one that prevails." You also described the role women's conferences and the impact the term democracy has upon power plays an influential representation in America's government system today.
ReplyDeleteHi Kallie! I was captivated by your analysis of power in the United States. The way you organized your blog was excellent, from the beginning of our nation more than two centuries ago to our recent past. I was also particularly impressed by the examples that you provided to support your argument because they seemed perfect for proving your point. However, the part that stood out to me the most was the very last phrase at the bottom, where you answered a question that encapsulated your entire blog in one line. In my United States History class this year, we learned that the Constitution derived its power from the people when it was created. Essentially, the people allowed this document to govern their land and maintain order. However, as you mentioned, the franchise was limited at the time and would take decades to expand. Despite this, your point about power still lying in the hands of a few is valid. Power can lead to greed, which results in manipulation. As a consequence of greed, some people will go to great lengths to obtain as much power as possible, which includes controlling others. In hindsight, it seems that America has achieved the goal of power lying within its people. However, power is extremely difficult to spread due to the desire of those in power to maintain it. Nevertheless, I believe that it will eventually be truly in the hands of the masses, though it will likely take a while. This process will be arduous, but with a collective effort, equality can be achieved.
ReplyDeleteHi Kallie! Your blog offers a compelling reflection on the evolution of democracy in America, acknowledging the progress made since its founding while shedding light on persistent challenges. The historical context you provided, particularly highlighting the limited voting rights in America's early days, provides important context for assessing democratic progress. By acknowledging the initial exclusions of predominantly white men with property from the right to vote, you set the stage for understanding the gradual evolution of American democracy. This historical perspective deepens the discussion, offering readers a nuanced lens through which to evaluate both past achievements and current challenges in democratic representation. I also like how your recounting of Gloria Steinem's experience with manipulated representation in women's conferences serves as a touching example of how even seemingly democratic processes can be influenced to serve specific agendas. Also, the term "Yesn't" cleverly captures the nuanced reality of America's democratic journey—a mix of achievements and ongoing struggles. While improvements have been made in extending voting rights, your blog effectively highlights subtle, systematic barriers that still hinder true democratic representation. I enjoyed reading your blog and I am excited to see more of your writing!
ReplyDeleteHey Kallie,
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your analytical blog about the social situation of America. I specifically liked how you acknowledged that it may not even be possible to have a perfect democracy as America's leaders originally promised. I believe your acknowledgement introduces a sense of rational to your analysis of America by indicating to the readers that what America strides to accomplish is simply impossible--giving the readers a more logistical approach to interperating the current state of America. I also liked how you involved specific evidence from a biography to better encapsulate how America has most definitely not reached perfect democracy. One thing that stood out to me was that you ended your blog with a definitive stance on your topic by claiming that America has not reached peak democracy yet. I found this interesting because from the looks of it I expected your topic to lead into an ending where your ask a rhetorical question about the American democracy and leave the readers in a cliff hanger contemplating the nuances of what they just read. However, in its entirety your blog was definitely a well-written blog that laid out your issue about power in America smoothly through the inclusion of multiple sides of the argument.