Question

Does 17th Amendment to the Constitution strengthens or weakens our federal system of government?  Your argument essay should be no longer than 3 pages but it must be at least 2 page.

Answer 1

The Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States introduced direct election of state senators by the voters of the states. Previously, state senators were appointed by state legislators. The amendment pointed towards increasing dissatisfaction with the corrupt practices and inefficiencies associated with the legislative election of senators in many states.

Legislative election of senators gave an opportunity to the affluent to influence the selection of senators through the years for their own interests. The amendment meant to put an end to this tradition and pass the power of selecting state representatives to the right and deserving civilians.

The amendment turned out to have a positive impact on the governance of the nation. As the influence of corrupt and arbitrary state legislatures slowly declined, the system became more functional as in the years following the amendment, the federal government implemented many progressive reforms.

By giving power to the voters of the state to elect their state representatives, the amendment empowered the masses and kept the control of the election process out of the hands of the affluent class. The election of state legislators became more fair and empowering and rightly so as knowing the actual condition of the society was never a possibility with the affluent rigging elections to fulfill their personal goals. The segregation of state legislatures and the Senate meant that the state legislatures would now be able to focus solely on regional/local issues and as a result the legislatures would be given an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of their work. Further, the amendment freed the Senate from the grip of corrupt state legislatures which were known to work under the influence of big parties that looked to fulfill personal interests. The amendment paved the way for citizens to voice their opinions on issues that mattered to them. It aimed to protect the interests of the citizens. Free and fair elections are important in attaining economic stability. When citizens are given the power to select their representatives, there is likely to be an increase in their morale, as now they feel responsible for their nation and are willing to commit more to their work and increase their contribution to the society. All of these changes in attitudes, only benefit the economy in the long run and create an environment conducive for growth.

Thus, such amendments to the Constitution impact the economy favorably and lead to the strengthening of the federal system.

(Source: 17th Amendment: USA Constitution - Britannica.com , Wikipedia, The Seventeenth Amendment - constitutionalcentre.org)