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The Unusual American Government

Essay by   •  July 7, 2011  •  Essay  •  1,255 Words (6 Pages)  •  1,669 Views

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"The Unusual American Government"

To examine why Americas government in different than the rest of the world we must first look at the history of this great country. Dating back to the migration of America, people initially came to this country to seek new opportunity. People were looking for a place where religion and government would not dominate their entire life. In a place like England, at the time, the church dominated almost all phases of life. People had to pay very high taxes to the churches and were essentially under the control of religion. These people simply were sick of having to pay such high taxes and strived for individuality. America was founded on the fact that there would not be a vast amount of government control. People were welcome to pursue a path which they desired without the government stepping in and telling them otherwise. The colonists of America did want to unify and become one nation, but at the same time they were very careful in doing this because they did not want it to turn into a government which they had just left. After the basic rules were established and people we granted their own freedom America went on a path of not having a strong centralized government, a path that continues to this day.

The American ideology is based on individuality and equality. All American citizens strive for both of these elements and our government, while many see it as overpowering and controlling is one of the less controlling governments in modern society. Our drive for individuality stemmed and derived from the Revolutionary war when we gained our independence from Britain. The war was fought mainly because the colonists did not want to be controlled; they wanted their freedom and equality. After the war when America gained their independence it was noted in the constitution that all American born citizens will receive life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This means that all people would be equal in the eyes of the government. Some may argue that our drive for individuality might come from the fact that we, as a nation, are basically isolated from the rest of the world. When our ancestors arrived to the new land that we now call America it was ultimately to find a new way of living one that would consist of much more equality.

America is also different in the fact that we have a very small government compared to most. Governments around the world are much larger and have much more regulations than the American government. The government in America basically stays out of the way of people and allows them to make a living on their own. It is up to the individual to become rich and successful, the government does not help people do this. It is up to the American government to allow individuals to have the same quality of opportunity, but it is not up to them what the citizens choose to do with their opportunity. This is one reason why the balance of power in America is very different from other countries. We have the highest poverty rate across the nation; other countries have better government programs that allow the poor to receive more money. They do this with better policies for things such as unemployment or retirement. Although America does offer unemployment and retirement checks it is not nearly as much as other countries. In America we believe that if all people have the same opportunity the poor might aspire to be like the rich and turn their life around. To make the rich

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