Earlier in the semester, we defined democracy as a political system in which the people are sovereign, they enjoy political freedom, and they are politically equal. Based on what you’ve learned in this course, to what extent do you think the United States lives up to this ideal?

How to do this:

Whichever position you take on the question (i.e., yes, it is democratic; no it isn’t; or it’s a bit of both), make sure to identify
five things that you have learned that support your answer. These should be examples from both the readings and the lectures.

For each example, make sure that you indicate which aspect of democracy you’re referring to. For example, “X shows that Americans are sovereign,” or “Y shows that Americans are not politically equal.” Then explain what you mean. That is, explain how your examples support the position you are taking. For example, “X shows that economic inequality undermines political equality.”