A Comparison of Jeffersonian and Jacksonian concepts about Democracy

______Jeffersonian Democracy__________________ Jacksonian Democracy_________

Feared a strong central government Desired a strong central government

Strengthened the Congress – the Strengthened the Executive branch for theLegislative branch for the sake of the common people – voting laws had changed byPeople – the people who could vote and 1828 and property was not a requirement forowned land voting.

Jefferson believed that an educated group of Jackson believed in the universal elite citizens could run the country. enfranchisement of all eligible white males

Jefferson believed that well-intentioned Jackson believed this period increase of respect and planter class of farmers such as the planter power for the common men.class should be the leaders of the nation.

Broadly speaking, Jacksonian democracy, in contrast to the Jeffersonian era, promoted the strength of the executive branch and the Presidency at the expense of Congressional power, while also seeking to broaden the public's participation in government. Jacksonians believed in enfranchising all eligible white males, rather than just the propertied class, and supported the patronage system that enabled politicians to appoint their supporters into administrative offices (To the Victor Go the Spoils), arguing that it would lead to increased public participation in politics. They opposed appointive judges. They rewrote many state constitutions to reflect the new values. In national terms the Jacksonians favored geographical expansion; sometimes justifying it in terms of Manifest Destiny.

There was usually a consensus among both Jacksonians and Whigs that political battles over slavery should be avoided. The Jacksonian Era lasted roughly from Jackson's election until the slavery issue became dominant after 1850 and the American Civil War dramatically reshaped American politics.