Democracy An American Novel, by Henry Adams Essay - 956 Words

In the late 1800’s, Henry Adams wrote Democracy An American Novel, in which he portrayed Washington society through the eyes of a wealthy young widow, Mrs. Madeline Lee, who is looking for the basis of American governmental power. In her search for the basis of power, Mrs. Lee encounters many facets of Washington society, such as the types of people who control the government. The novel moves beyond a simple plot and story and includes portrayals of the basic Washington types of people, Washington society, and Adams’ assumptions about American democracy. Adams’ main assumption was that a respectable government is practically impossible. Next, he believed the US political system naturally tended towards corruption and finally, he†¦show more content†¦The cities are all corrupt, and also the towns and the counties and the States’ legislatures and the judges† (Adams 42). Through this political conversation, Adams reveals his reformer natur e and attitude towards American society in the late 1800’s. In addition, corruption of some form is always inherent in any government and larger governments have greater corruption. The nature of a republic or democracy calls for a large government to represent the people; therefore, the amount of corruption will naturally be greater in a democracy than in a small government. Partisan loyalty also effects corruption. In a strong party system like the United States, politicians are pressed to support their party’s platform and specific goals despite the moral consequences. For example, Ratcliffe tells Mrs. Lee that during the Civil War he was governor of Illinois and altered election results to ensure Illinois would vote for President Lincoln (Adams 61). Finally, a democratic government like the United States is open to citizens and special interest groups; which gives lobbyists a strong standing in American politics. Lobbyists represent individuals, organizations, and corporations in the political arena. Adams’ opinion of lobbyists is not hostile, but cold. In Adams’ book, Mrs. Baker represents Washington lobbyists. Mrs. Baker says that everyone has a price and for the cunning lobbyist; anything is possible. Mrs. Baker also hints that bribes and other illegalShow MoreRelatedDemocracy : An American Novel2141 Words   |  9 Pagesfiction, Democracy: An American Novel, is a novel in which Henry Adams skillfully addresses many social commentaries through satire and interesting characters. This novel can simply be described as a political love story. The main character, Mrs. Madeline Lightfoot Lee, originally leads her life as a â€Å"private philanthropist, amateur philosopher, and socialite† in New York (Adams v). 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