To What Extent Was Andrew Jackson A Democratic?

I believe that it would be very reasonable to consider Andrew Jackson as very democratic. If you consider democracy to be a government that accurately reflects the support and wishes of the people, then Andrew Jackson fits this description quite well. Throughout his presidency, Jackson was able to gain and harness the popular views and opinions of the masses and effectively carry out the will of the people. His popularity, policy ideals, and personal passion for democracy all contributed to his status in my eyes as very democratic.

It is incredibly important to note the overwhelming popular support that followed him throughout his presidency. The fervor and passion of the Jacksonians alone is enough to see what made this guy such an impactful

He endured many hardships at the hands of British officers and carried on through the thick of it. His experiences in the war are ultimately what gained him popular support early in his political career; and what is democracy but a big popularity contest? It is much more complicated than that, but still important to note that winning an election is mostly about getting as much of the population to like you as possible. In this sense, Jackson would fit the characterization as democratic very well. After finally being elected president in 1828, there was a virtual outcry of approval and pleasure among the masses. One source goes so far as to call that election “a revolution comparable to that of 1800.”(2) An additional highlight to Jackson’s democratic fiber was his policy-making decisions. Throughout his presidency, Jackson shortened the time allowed to serve in public office, disbanded the Bank of America, and authorized the Indian Removal Act, all three of which had a lasting effect upon American history. Jackson submitted a petition to Congress to shorten the term for public office to four years. 6. His reasoning was that public office was created solely for the

He sought to rid this imbalance of power by getting rid of the system that gave rise to such bureaucracy in his eyes. Even the Indian Removal Act, easily the most controversial and “undemocratic” action in Jackson’s presidency, stemmed from his good intentions. I put undemocratic in parentheses because of the prior definition listed above: a government that accurately reflects the support and will of the people. Many citizens at the time were outright abusing and persecuting Natives in the southern states. Jackson viewed forced relocation as an evil brought about by necessary westward expansion. He did not want the extinction of Natives and that is why he signed the bill to set apart a territory to protect and preserve their nation. Sadly, the result was much less pretty than the ideal. Jackson tried to preserve Native culture but lacked the spine to say no to the masses. To that extent, we can say that his democracy was so intense that it led to poor results. This brings me to my last point, which is a combination of two ideas. One being that Jackson ushered in the ideals of the majority and two, Jackson's democracy isn’t the same as his morals and successes. As Americans, we