Born in abject poverty, Andrew Jackson grew to be an affluent Tennessee legal
practitioner and an aspiring young politician by 1812 when the United States and Britain went
into war. Jackson’s leadership role in that conflict earned him national recognition as a military
conqueror, and he would later turn out to be America’s most prominent and controversial
political figure during the 1820s and 1830s. After closely losing to John Quincy Adams in the
disputed 1824 presidential election, Jackson vied for the same position four years later. He
defeated the incumbent to become the seventh president of the United States and served two
terms in office from 1829-1837. During his tenure, President Jackson’s two primary objectives
were to uphold the rights of the “common” man while fighting against “corrupt” oligarchy.
Although Andrew Jackson made some faults as the POTUS, he was the best president of the
nineteenth century by enhancing democracy through political organization changes and
strengthened the presidency in the US.
The American political organization experienced a fundamental transformation under
the influence of Jacksonian egalitarianism. Although the former POTUS did not directly
activate the changes, he came to embody most of the political overhauling that occurred. For the
first time under Jacksonian democracy, politics assumed a primary liberal role in the lives of
voters in the US (Blau 23). Initially, submissiveness to aristocratic elites and general
inconsequence drove local politics across the nation. Furthermore, a few sections of the
population was interested in politics before 1828 since the democratic space did not seem to
favor the majority. Nonetheless, changes trailed the emotional shockwave of the panic after the
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two successive elections of Andrew Jackson, who had a fascinating disposition and made
controversial policies. The 1828 election year was characterized by an increase in the level of
voter interest as proven by polling day’s audience, gatherings, more partisan newspapers, and a
significant extent of voter allegiance to their political outfits. By 1840, political campaigns were
more appealing to the ordinary person, with elections attracting increased voter participation
than previous election years. Therefore, through political organization changes, President
Jackson played a significant role in the democratization of US politics.
Apart from consolidating democracy, President Andrew also strengthened what is
currently acknowledged as the modern presidency, the highest office in the land. The former
POTUS advanced the cause of social equality and stretched executive power. According to
Jackson, democracy entailed the will of the majority to prevail irrespective of any prevailing
executive and social orders (Yoo 102). Therefore, through democratic interpretation, all citizens
are to play a part in electing their leader. During his tenure, President Jackson called for a
constitutional amendment to eradicate the Electoral College since the people had the right to
elect their Chief Magistrate. Thus, Jackson reconstructed the presidential office to signify the
will of all citizens.
President Jackson was not a qualified scholar; nonetheless, his redoubtable policy stands
demonstrated intelligent political and economic thinking. Like other former presidents who
believed in democracy, development, and rationality, such as Jefferson, President Jackson
maintained that all citizens should enjoy political, social, and economic freedom. According to
Lane, the former POTUS steered the termination of the national debt under his rule, which was
also significant attainment under his watch (61). Jackson also applied the laissez-faire
leadership approach as the most preferred style, especially to economic fairness and political
freedom, since he believed that social discontent and inequalities usually are cultivated rather
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than enhanced by the government. Despite some wrong decisions he made, President Jackson’s
actions were for the best interest of the citizens, especially the common man.
Andrew Jackson was the best leader the United States ever had in the nineteenth
century. Despite his shortcomings, particularly dictatorial decisions he made, the United States
experienced political transformation under his two terms reign. President Jackson also
remodeled the presidential office to represent the will of the people. The former POTUS
impressive policies also signified proper thinking that ensured social, economic, and political
freedom.
Works Cited
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Blau, Joseph L. Social Theories of Jacksonian Democracy: Representative Writings of the
Period 1825-1850. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub. Co, 2003.
Lane, Carl. "The Elimination of the National Debt in 1835 and the Meaning of Jacksonian
Democracy." Essays in Economic & Business History, vol. 25, no.1, 2007, pp.67-78.
Yoo, John. "Andrew Jackson and Presidential Power." Charleston Law Review, vol. 2, 2007,
pp. 101-152.