Jeffersonian Democracy

Jeffersonian Democracy is a center-left, culturally left political movement that was dominant in the United States in the early 19th century. He is dedicated to the ideals of Thomas Jefferson, its prominent advocate that the movement was named for. He is opposed to the corruption of elitists and merchants, valuing planters and farmers as the true backbone of the republic.

It primarily combines elements of Republicanism,  Classical Liberalism, and  Agrarianism.

History
In the early years of the United States, the Democratic-Republican Party originated in the early 1790s as an opposition to the Federalist Party of Alexander Hamilton. As the country grew, the two parties became more organized, and tension between them grew stronger. The party gained political dominance in the elections of 1800 as Jefferson was elected president and it became the majority in Congress. During his presidency, Jefferson managed to reduce the national debt and government spending, reversing many Federalist policies. One of his most notable achievements is the acquisition of Louisiana from France.

After his presidency, Jefferson had many successors for decades, including James Madison, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams. The Federalists collapsed after 1815 due to the dominance of their opposition, bringing upon the Era of Good Feelings, a time characterized by a lack of partisan disputes. During the 1824 election, the party inevitably split up into two factions: one that supported incumbent President Adams, and the other that supported General Andrew Jackson. Backers of Jackson became the Democratic Party, and those who followed Adams eventually became the Whig Party.

The Democratic Party became a dominant political power before being overtaken by the Republican Party and their opposition of slavery in the Civil War. Despite not being directly related to the party, Republicans borrowed Jefferson’s ideals of liberty and equality. Today, traces of Jeffersonian democracy can be found often in American Libertarianism and  Right-Wing Populism.

Friends

 * [[File:Farm.png]] Agrarianism
 * [[File:Republicanismpix.png]] Republicanism
 * [[File:Pop.png]] Populism
 * [[File:Enlightnenment.png]] Enlightenment

Enemies

 * [[File:Fed.png]] Federalism
 * [[File:Arist.png]] Aristocracy
 * [[File:Monarch.png]] Monarchism
 * [[File:Christy.png]] Christian Theocracy

Wikipedia articles

 * Thomas Jefferson
 * Jeffersonian democracy
 * Democratic-Republican Party