Andrew Jackson
Represents the powerful, populist leader who embodies the will of the majority.
Core Belief
"The will of the people is supreme, and government should be responsive to their needs and desires."
Worldview
He sees the world as a struggle between the common man and the privileged elite. He believes in expanding opportunities for ordinary citizens and protecting their interests against the power of banks and other powerful institutions.
Personality
Andrew Jackson is portrayed as a forceful, decisive leader with a strong connection to the common people. He is seen as a man of action, willing to challenge established institutions and defy the elite in order to serve the interests of the majority. However, he is also depicted as potentially impulsive and prone to abuse his power.
In Their Own Words
"In all this affair the language of Jackson has been that of a heartless despot, solely occupied with the preservation of his own authority."
"The contest between the bank and its opponents is only an incident in the great struggle which is going on in America between the provinces and the central power; between the spirit of democratic independence and the spirit of gradation and subordination."
"General Jackson is the slave of the majority: he yields to its wishes, its propensities, and its demands; say rather, that he anticipates and forestalls them."
Other Characters from Democracy in America — Volume 1
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