Recently while thumbing through "archy's" "isms" & "acy's" I realized that the clearity of what America IS and WAS Supposed to be is a bit
clouded.(To put it Nicely)
I put forth evidence to support why I'm confused:
Republic: a state in which the people are represented by elected agents and the head of state is an elected official.
Constitutional: a government subject to the provisions and limitations of a written and enforced constitution.
Democracy: a government with supreme power vested in the people and exercised by them (direct democracy through such things as referendums) or their
elected agents (indirect democracy).
Aristocracy: a state ruled by a privileged class (determined by wealth or birth). Based on belief that the elite know better than the common person
how to rule.
Bureaucracy: any form of government with power concentrated in administrative bureaus, often equated with formalism, red tape, and
overorganization.
Despotism: government by a ruler who uses unlimited absolute authority to achieve his goals. (Bush certainly gave it a try IMO.)
Dictatorship: any form of government in which one person or group has absolute power without effective constitutional limitations.(Not quite but not
as Unfamiliar I would like it to be!)
Fascism: a totalitarian political system with the goals of the nation more important than individual goals.(YIKES!!)
Federal Union: a country with a strong central government (i.e. federal Government) and individual provinces with limited, clearly defined powers.(If
it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...It is certainly "Duckish" to some degree.)
Imperialism: the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and
dependencies.(Also "Duckish" when comparing our "Conquering"...I mean "Liberation" of Iraq.)
Legislative union: a country having one central government with all the power to make laws for the entire country.(I'd say 90-10 split in favor of
"Federal" over "State" but maybe someone has better numbers.)
Plutocracy: a government in which the wealthy class rules.(Quack, Quack, Quack!)
Totalitarianism: centralized government with absolute control by one political party and/or the military.(No comment for fear I will be shot or
imprisoned.)
No wonder this Country is so messed up!! We fit too many catagories to know what the hell is going on. Not many directions going in the Original
"Of the People, By the People, For the People" direction either?!?!?