John Winthrop, Thomas Jefferson, the Federalist or Thoreau

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Review of Jefferson and Winthrop’s Democratic Ideologies
The general idea of democracy remains an attractive prospect for solid majorities of citizens. The will of the people is paramount in any democratic society. However, popular attachment to the specific institutions of a democratic regime, and how willing citizens feel to apply to a formal criteria of institutional development to the evaluation of regime performance, is a more tentative matter. Democracy is by far the most challenging form of government, both for the leaders and the people. Today, most of the countries in the world are republics, meaning that the officials are elected. Democratic governments are characterized by political rights to the citizens, free and fair elections and independence courts of law. However, democracy is challenging. For example, it is difficult when choosing the rules to be enforced and the people to be arbiters CITATION Bra07 \p 96 \l 1033 (Bratton 96). John Winthrop has a strong stand against democracy unlike his counter partner Thomas Jefferson. The paper shall critically analyze the differences in the perceptions of the two authors about democracy.
John Winthrop perceived democracy negatively. In his leadership style he perceives democracy to be sinning before God. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand, believed that democracy is a way to go as a leader. According to him, the citizens are represented indirectly by the elected leaders who are believed to know the needs of their citizens and address them. In such case, people feel that they participate in their governance CITATION Pla12 \p 66 \l 1033 (Plattner 66).
John Winthrop perceived that negative voting was a major hindrance to democracy and would automatically result in poor leadership. Winthrop had no faith in democracy. He was convinced that America was a land where God’s vice-regents on Earth were divinely appointed to maintain law. He was a harsh person and autocratic while supporters saw him as the Moses of his colony. He used his leadership principles emulating the Bible’s teachings. His main defense falls on biblical scriptures. This is based on the fact, that such democratic system or government was non-existent in Israel during biblical times. Winthrop argues that mortals should not try to recreate a failed concept of the Greeks. At one point, he uses a pivotal word: ‘should’— in his logic, he is stating should we change to a mere democracy then we would debase ourselves under God’s lawsCITATION Win76 \p 497 \l 1033 (Moreno 497). In his logic, democratic systems used in the history of Greece and early Rome failed and resulted to the bloodshed and civil strife. If the colonies utilize this same structure, the colonies would end with a chaotic anarchy. Partially he is correct, when one thinks of the French Revolution ending in anarchy and the similar political upheavals in Haiti. From Winthrop’s perspective, future examples of a binding Constitution seem an impossible political strategy. Such forms of government would never adequately work for controlling the people. As a leader, he encouraged close conduct with the people he is leading so that...