Essay Sample on How Democratic Was Jacksonian Democracy?

Many historians have attempted to define Jacksonian Democracy but with little success. Most seem to agree on a few points though. Andrew Jackson was “for the people”, loyal to friends, family, and supporters, and equality in the eyes of the law. Jackson believed that the people should have more say in government offices. To understand Jacksonian Democracy, you need to know a little bit about a key player: Andrew Jackson. Born in Tennessee, Jackson was raised by his mother, having lost his father before his birth. Jackson had a high military reputation which lent to the nickname “Old Hero”.  He was also a self-taught man, thus leading to criticism from Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams; however, he relished the common people and their adoration (Shi, 327).  The struggle between people and aristocracy for mastery of the republic offered a first approach to the appeal of Jacksonian Democracy (Meyers, 18).

The main concept behind Jacksonian Democracy was equal rights in the eyes of the law. Before Andrew Jackson, only land-owning white men could vote. However, Jacksonians believed that every white man of age should be allowed to vote, regardless of whether he owned land and this belief has expanded over time and has helped shape the democracy we have now. The people of the time understood that full equality is impossible, and distinctions will always exist, but there should be equality under the law (Rozwence, 89). Jacksonian Democracy appealed largely to the “working” people, more specifically farmers and laborers. With Jackson at the helm, those who felt under-represented finally felt they had representation and were being heard. Amos Kendall once wrote to President Jackson with concerns about the Navy Yard. The Navy Yard wanted men to work more than twelve hours a day. When Kendall wrote Jackson, Jackson referred the letter to his secretary of the navy with the instructions, “If the Navy board have not been directed to order that the hours, from 6 oclock to 6 be agreed to as pr. my former, intimation that it may be forthwith adopted.” (Remini, 341) This account shows that Jackson understood the laborers and supported them in their cause for fairness.

The Jacksonian Democrats were the first large body of Americans to be genuinely democratic in feeling and the first to give genuine social vitality to the democratic ideal in American life (Rozwence). Jackson had strong beliefs in how the government should work and who decided who was in the government. He believed senators should be directly elected by the people (Remini, 342), and believed all offices should be approved or rejected by the people. From an excerpt from the Bureau of National Literature, Andrew Jackson was quoted, “In a country where offices are created solely for the benefit of the people no one man has any more intrinsic right to official station than another.”

Contrary to popular belief, Jacksonians did not have a stance on slavery or Indian removal. Jackson understood the importance of slavery in the South, therefore making his support of slavery more pragmatic than ideological (Cheathem). Slavery was already becoming a heated political topic, but Jackson didn’t run for his presidency based on supporting slavery. Jacksonian Democrats believed they were defending majority rule and that those against it were against democracy (Remini, 343). As for the Indian removal, Jackson wanted the land Indians were occupying for expanding the nation. While the Indian removal, and consequently the Trail of Tears, was tragic, Andrew Jackson did attempt to make it more peaceful. Unfortunately, both parties were extremely set in their ways and the Indians were forcibly removed from their lands. Treaties had been negotiated, but the Cherokees just simply did not want to leave their homes. When Andrew Jackson heard of the tribes being defrauded, he immediately called for an investigation (Remini, 303). Before anything could come of the investigation, the Indians revolted and began slaughtering white people.

In conclusion, Jacksonian Democracy was a stepping stone to today’s democracy. Its focus on representation and equality under the law has had a lasting impact throughout history. Having Andrew Jackson supporting the working class of his time helped to develop a system so that everyone could have a voice in how the government is run.  While Jacksonian Democracy was only for white men, people have grown and changed and democracy today includes all adults, no matter race or gender.