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| | == Evolution of Anglo-American democracy == | | == Evolution of Anglo-American democracy == |
| − | In the [[United States]], the current system of representative democracy evolved as a result of six major reforms:
| + | The [[founding fathers]] never intended the [[United States]] to be a democracy.<ref>Snowball, Timothy (October 29, 2018). [https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/413142-the-united-states-is-not-a-democracy-and-it-wasnt-meant-to-be-one The United States is not a democracy — and it wasn't meant to be one]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved October 29, 2018.</ref> However, some scholars consider the U.S. to be a representative democracy as a result of six major reforms: |
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| | # The [[American Revolution]] which severed ties with the King of [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and endowed the people with the sovereign prerogatives that formerly belonged to the monarchy. | | # The [[American Revolution]] which severed ties with the King of [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and endowed the people with the sovereign prerogatives that formerly belonged to the monarchy. |
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| | # The [[Nineteenth Amendment]], which extended the franchise to [[women]]. | | # The [[Nineteenth Amendment]], which extended the franchise to [[women]]. |
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| − | Historically, the Fifteenth Amendment inspired the most opposition. Indeed, every state of the former [[Confederacy]] circumvented the Fifteenth Amendment between the end of [[Reconstruction]] and the passage of the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], considered the ultimate guarantee of that Amendment. | + | Historically, the Fifteenth Amendment inspired the most opposition. Indeed, every state of the former [[Confederacy]] circumvented the Fifteenth Amendment between the end of [[Reconstruction]] and the passage of the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], considered the ultimate guarantee of that Amendment. |
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| | ==Britain== | | ==Britain== |
| | In Britain, there were six major reforms in the direction of democracy: | | In Britain, there were six major reforms in the direction of democracy: |