Failure of Democracy Essay - 870 Words

Failure of Democracy According to David Herbert Donald in the article Why They Impeached Andrew Johnson, â€Å"Rarely has democratic government so completely failed as during the Reconstruction decade.† As voiced by Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address, the nation is a â€Å"government of the people, by the people, and for the people.† However, during the period of reconstruction, the government was far from this philosophy. Public opinion was all but ignored, and all matters were decided by either President or Congress. Southern voice in government policy was essentially nonexistent, and the former states were compelled by military rule to accept northern laws. Lincoln understood that in a democratic nation, the will of the public was very†¦show more content†¦Johnson argued that the bill was unconstitutional, and vetoed it, despite wide support for it in Congress. He also vetoed a Civil Rights Act, which guaranteed black liberties, however his veto was overridden by a majority in Congress. â€Å"In the clash between the president and Congress, Johnson was his own worst enemy. His language was often intemperate, his handling of opponents inept, his analysis of southern conditions incorrect† (Garraty 421). It was important for Johnson to be cautious as a president, but he was the exact opposite – reckless and imprudent. He had no true political following, and was only considered for the vice presidency in 1864 to appeal to southern voters. The only reason he became President is because he succeeded Lincoln after his assassination. Many people called him the president of an assassin, rather than the president of the people. Johnson seemed not to realize the weakness of his position. He was on very insecure ground because he did not represent any major interest. However, even under such precarious conditions, he persistently disregarded public opinion, acting of his accord. â€Å"Such open defiance of northern opinion was dangerous un der the best of circumstances, but in Johnson’s case it was little more than suicidal† (Donald 5). Johnson was adamant in his own beliefs, and was entirely impervious to theShow MoreRelatedFailure of Democracy in Pakistan1801 Words   |  8 PagesFailure of democracy in Pakistan: Pakistan, since its day of inception, has faced several challenges to establish a true democratic system, which could guarantee its survival, stability and development. Unfortunately, the plant of democracy has not taken its roots deep enough to make the country, â€Å"a durable democratic state†. 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