The words "Communism, Communist, Socialism, Socialist" are often widely discussed amongst college philosphy and political science classes as well within certain social groups. However, rarely if at all, are the words of the current politics in the United States, "Democrat, Republican, Progressive, Liberal, Conservative" ever discussed or philosophied in similar focus. Rather these terms are either ones taken for granted of mutual understanding yet most likely without a full understanding and knowledge of such and rampant with personal bias, criticism, and spite.
Thus, in this entry and those that follow, I will undertake the large task of giving a comprehensive glimpse of what these terms mean in a philosophical way, not in practice, similar to that of how communism and socialism are discussed. Put aside the various bias and negative meanings one connotes when these words are brought up and lean into the description in its purest form. I will do my utmost best to remain neutral in the description, even if I lean more one way than another. Let's pretend we are sitting in a university classroom, the course: Political Philosophy 101.
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines "Democrat" in three distinct ways. Firstly, as a member of one of the current major political parties in the United States as well as the ideologies that go along with this following. Thus, a Democrat is a member of the Democratic party of the U.S., usually associated with government regulation of business, finance, and industry. A deomocrat politician aligns with federally funded educational and social services. They avidly decry the separation of church and state. Along with this, a democrat supports for abortion rights, affirmative action, gun control, as well policies and laws that protect and support the rights of workers and minorities. In addition, their views on foreign policy are internationalism and multilateralism. Furthermore, the second definition states that a democrat favors a democratic form of government, per example, the selection of leaders by election and that all people should be treated fairly and equally.
The Democratic party, founded in 1792 with Thomas Jefferson,is the longest held political and ideoligical party. Back then, known as Democratic Republican party, it was more conservative and libertarian than the current Democratic party, for instance, they strongly held that states' rights were necessary and were opposed to a centralized federal government, they insisted that the Constition be followed to the letter strictly, and they believed in the heart of America as led by the agrarian farmers and not the wealthy. The shift towards more contemporary Democratic belief occurred in the 1820's when voting laws relaxed and laws were passed allowing state's to elect presendential candidates. Then, in 1824, the Democratic-Republican party became factioned with each electing their own presendential candidate, representing differeing views and ideologicals politically. When the election of John Quincy Adams, the divided deepened. Supporters of Adams referred to themselves as "National Republicans" and those that wanted Andrew Jackson as president called themselves as Jacksonian Democrats or the Democrats. This party was the founding of the Democratic Party, with some beliefs aligning similarly and others' opposing yet reflecting on the current events of that historical time period. That which is similar is emphasizing the government must benefit and be led by the 'common man', voting rights should be expanded greatly (at the time of Jackson only for white males), and the overall theme that the government must be for the will of the people, not the wealthy, centralized government.
The current state of the government in its overwhelming rule of the two party system aside, coupled with the overall governmental political corruption found in both, simply examining the themes and history of the label "Democrat" one may see how the development of the core values grew into the philosophical standards. Brief though this entry may be, it is the writer's hopes that the reader's interest may be piqued and further individual research will be sought.
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