ABSTRACT
The attitudes of the men who wrote the Constitution of the United States toward democracy in either its pure or republican form ranged from skeptical to hostile. The ambiguousness of the constitutional provisions that describe the powers of the president has been a subject of puzzlement and debate among scholars. The prevailing model of executive authority was the hereditary monarchies that dominated European countries. The Constitution vests the "executive power" in the president, but it doesn't define that power. The Electoral College arrangement reflected the argument that Madison had made in recommending republics over democracies. Based on the experience of the state legislatures under the Articles of Confederation, Adams warned that a democratic legislature would "vote all property out of the hands of you aristocrats". James Wilson, a delegate from Pennsylvania, argued that popular election of the House was essential if the people were to have confidence in their government.
