New Englanders were blessed with an idealistic, environmental, and circumstance-driven synthesis which gave them considerable control over group life - known as towns.
The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact planted many of the seeds for American democracy that would later emerge, such as all men are created equal; that their Creator bestows certain fundamental rights upon them; and that governments draw their legitimacy from consenting citizens. Over 150 years later, these concepts would become embedded into both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution as the cornerstones of American freedom.
Traditionalists interpreted the Mayflower Compact as one of the first steps toward self-government for America and often saw Pilgrims as pioneers of religious freedom, spreading the idea that all Americans have a right to worship according to their preferences. This narrative was reinforced with Thanksgiving celebrations beginning in 1769 as well as John Quincy Adams promoting annual orations while serving as president.
However, in reality the Mayflower Compact was simply an interim document intended to keep Plymouth Colonists together and functioning smoothly while waiting for official charter from England. These Pilgrims were Protestant Separatists who left England to create a community faithful to their religious ideals, so they were determined not to break away or form new communities during these difficult times.
As Plymouth changed with time and expansion of the colonies, so too did its government system. Voting rights became more restricted over time due to property requirements; most non-property owners lacked franchise rights. Yet its original democratic rule established in 1620 still applied until Plymouth failed to obtain an official charter and was consequently annexed by Massachusetts in 1691.
The Pilgrims
Turner breaks free from popular perceptions by employing original research and underutilized sources to show their struggle as real human beings, not saints or sinners - similar to other English settlers who left for religious freedom or other reasons - becoming members of an extreme fringe.
The Pilgrims trace their roots back to a worshipping group in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire via Amsterdam and Leyden. Their discontent coincided with intense religious conflict following Protestant Reformation across Europe; after two unsuccessful starts on board Mayflower they eventually settled Plymouth Colony in 1620.
They brought with them an idea: that civil bodies of individuals could form and create laws collectively, known as civil body politic, with powers to legislate. This simple notion, formalized in a document known as Mayflower Compact, served as the cornerstone for Plymouth Colony lawbooks as well as providing the basis of American democracy.
Once the Pilgrims met the Wampanoag people, both groups realized they depended upon one another. The Pilgrims' strong faith led them to lay down their lives for their families and future generations, while Wampanoag people recognized they had an obligation to share spiritual teachings with everyone they could.
Massachusetts left its mark on American democracy through town meetings. These local gatherings began as forums to settle disputes but eventually evolved into locally elected legislatures that provided additional authority for colony executive branches. Over time these local institutions gave rise to state boards which administered schools, welfare, labor, banking, healthcare, insurance, and prison systems.
Town Meetings
Early New Englanders quickly established an institution known as the town meeting as they settled into their new land, providing a primary forum for settling local disagreements and making community decisions. Town meetings also served to consolidate popular will for purposes of maintaining social order - without monarchs, courts, country lords or archbishops to enforce social order on them, New Englanders were forced to govern themselves by consensus rather than coercion.
In 1633, Dorchester held its inaugural recorded town meeting called by a drum. While initially intended as a means to settle local disputes and conflicts, soon they were becoming an indispensable source of governance in Massachusetts colony. They symbolized Puritans belief that "God has decreed all men should live under consent of the people."
Modern Massachusetts town meetings may seem more ceremonial and formalized, yet still serve an important function in smaller towns across Massachusetts. A moderator is usually elected at the beginning of each meeting to preside over each item for voting; summonsing and warrant preparation duties fall to select boards who arrange meetings by voice voting or show of hands; any remaining decisions can be put to referendum at later dates.
Scholars like Frank Bryan have championed town meetings as an effective form of democracy; however, other researchers have discovered that their effectiveness decreases when applied to larger populations. Once limited to communities of several thousand members or less, town meetings often fail to connect with citizens and may even appear distant and impersonal. Furthermore, attempts at transplanting American models of democracy abroad usually fail miserably and frequently result in chaotic or even chaotic outcomes.
Political Dissent
The Framers of the Constitution weren't afraid to tackle issues that couldn't be settled through popular voting alone, yet were wary of direct democracy - in which all citizens vote directly for those making decisions on their behalf - which can work only when implemented within a small, isolated society, while true representative democracy may lead to excessive accumulation of political power among an elite few. So they devised rules, known as the Constitution, which placed limitations on what government can do and who it represents.
The Founding Fathers crafted a system that has endured to this day, though many of its fundamentals have been severely undermined due to money politics and infighting among political parties. Veto points between major parties have undermined democracy itself and caused people to distrust their elected leaders less readily than before.
As American society becomes more media-dominated and people less aware of civic engagement, democratic ideals have taken a backseat to media narratives that restrict people's access to diverse information sources and diminish civic participation opportunities, leading them to lose trust in American politics and pessimism about its future.
Dissent, or the act of disagreeing with an established source of authority such as social, cultural or government bodies is vital to democracy. Dissent can promote critical thinking and tolerance - essential components of an effective political society. While dissent plays an essential role in democracy, its effects must never be destructive. Dissent must always be balanced by protecting fundamental rights including freedom of expression.
Mary Dyer
Mary Dyer fled religious oppression in England to come to Massachusetts Bay Colony. However, soon after her arrival she became embroiled in an antinomian controversy which tore apart her church and threatened her life. Church leaders saw such people as heretics who needed correcting; they encouraged people to alter their convictions by persuasion while punishing those who refused.
Dyer actively supported her antinomian brethren and was arrested and banished from Boston as punishment in 1657, carrying a risk of execution for her efforts. Although welcomed elsewhere, including other colonies where her missionary work was welcomed and she visited church members with divergent beliefs - Dyer found her faith still was not welcome in Rhode Island where Roger Williams had founded a colony to allow religious freedom.
However, she believed in the principle of separation of church and state as something worth fighting for, advocating that people should follow their conscience without religion influencing government policies.
This philosophy was reflected in the Constitution that laid out a framework for new country. US democracy operates with checks and balances intended to prevent excessive concentration of power; however, these safeguards have often been compromised due to money politics, inequality in economic status, political wrangling among parties and social divisions. A clear indication of money distorting democracy is seen when Wyoming has as much voting power as California with only five hundred thousand residents as opposed to three-nine million voters in California - this indicates how money has altered democratic processes without real citizens benefitting.
Post a Comment