Where Is Democracy

United States is the most democratic country in the world. In its short but glorious short history of 230 plus years, United States has become the envy of the world and set an example as to how a nation shall be run. Today, United States has not only the material wealth but also the military might to protect and preach its democracy to the rest of the world. Now, let us examine what makes the United States democracy so special on this Earth.

People

United States is a country populated with immigrants and their descendants. Since its founding in 1776, United States has kept a loose open-door policy and created an ideal environment to attract and nourish people from around the globe to help it build the nation it is today. With the promise of a decent, free, and fair livelihood and the reward that anyone who is willing to work hard would be able to realize his or her potentials, people with dreams and aspirations from all walks of life flood to this land of aplenty. The immigrants bring not only their desire to succeed but also their cultures, religions, and ways of life. The result is a melting pot of diversity, visions, and races of all kind. It also incubates an atmosphere of tolerance, embracement, and appreciation. In the course of time, United States has become a nation of the world where relatives or friends of the people from every corners of the Earth can be found.

Laws

United States has the most laws in the world. They are created mainly to protect its people against themselves. In a democratic society, people are free to do whatever they want as long as they do not violate the well beings of other people. There are:

1) Traffic laws preventing people from driving recklessly, thus, reducing accidents,

2) Criminal laws preventing people from harming the others,

3) Business laws preventing people from cheating the consumers, etc.

To enforce these laws without prejudice, United States has bred an army of lawyers and built a judicial court systems and infrastructures that have no peers in the world. The cost of hiring lawyers and maintaining the whole judicial processes is astronomical and only a wealthy nation like the United States can afford it.

Media

Media encompass newspaper, magazine, books, and TV and radio broadcasts. United States has the fullest spectrum of uncensored media in the world. They not only inform, educate, and entertain but also safeguard democracy against unchecked power in the government that can threaten its existence. The media are created by individuals or groups of individuals who want to:

1) Express their views of the world,

2) Expose the injustice and corruption around them,

3) Serenade the goodness and beauty they uncover, etc.

Of course, not all media contents are wholesome and beneficial. But, under democracy, all that is good or bad will be under magnifying glass for everyone to examine.

Innovation

The quality of human life is improved by innovations. United States can boast the most innovations in the world. The reason is straightforward because United States provides educational environment that encourages innovation and offers huge rewards to people who does. There are innovations in:

1) Medicine where new drugs are constantly developed to fight cancers and diseases,

2) Auto industry where better mileage but less polluted cars are built,

3) Information technology where faster Internet access, more versatile hand-held phone, smaller and faster PC are emerging, etc.

Only when people are free from the shackles of worrying about the basic necessities of livelihoods, can they have time to think about a better life. Only then, can they dare to daydream, imagine, and innovate.

Origin

It is by no accident that United States happens to be the most democratic nation on Earth. Some 230 plus years ago, a group of people drawing their experiences from their ancestral lands, crafted a constitution that guarantees freedom of speech, freedom of press, and due process of the law for everyone. They laid the foundation for a democracy that future generations along with the believers and dreamers influxed from every corner of the globe, have protected and followed with zeal. Today, as United States tries its best to spread democracy to places where tyranny, injustice, and human right violation still exit, its people find themselves very fortunate to possess something that they have taken for granted while countless people in the world can only dream about.