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The Inside Story Of How The Supreme Court Brought One Person One Vote To The United States

Junot Díaz

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Published in On Democracy S Doorstep: The Inside Story Of How The Supreme Court Brought One Person One Vote To The United States

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In 1962, the Supreme Court ruled in Baker v. Carr that the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment required states to draw congressional districts with equal populations. This decision was a major victory for the principle of "one person, one vote," and it has had a profound impact on American politics.

On Democracy's Doorstep: The Inside Story of How the Supreme Court Brought "One Person, One Vote" to the United States

by J. Douglas Smith

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Before Baker v. Carr, many states had congressional districts that were drawn in a way that gave more weight to the votes of rural voters than to the votes of urban voters. This was because rural areas were typically more sparsely populated than urban areas, and so each rural voter represented a smaller number of people than each urban voter.

This system of unequal representation gave rural voters a disproportionate amount of power in Congress. This was especially true in the South, where many states had large rural populations and where the Democratic Party, which was the dominant party in the South, was supported by a coalition of rural voters and white supremacists.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the civil rights movement challenged the system of unequal representation in the South. Civil rights activists argued that the system violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees all citizens equal protection under the law.

In 1962, the Supreme Court agreed to hear Baker v. Carr, a case that challenged the constitutionality of Tennessee's congressional districts. The plaintiffs in the case argued that the districts were drawn in a way that gave more weight to the votes of rural voters than to the votes of urban voters.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in Baker v. Carr. The Court held that the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment required states to draw congressional districts with equal populations. This decision was a major victory for the principle of "one person, one vote," and it has had a profound impact on American politics.

The decision in Baker v. Carr has been cited as precedent in numerous other cases that have challenged the constitutionality of voting laws. It has also been used to support the principle of "one person, one vote" in other areas of law, such as school funding and jury selection.

The principle of "one person, one vote" is a fundamental principle of American democracy. It ensures that all citizens have an equal say in the government, regardless of where they live or how much money they make.

The Impact Of Baker V. Carr

The decision in Baker v. Carr has had a profound impact on American politics. It has led to the redrawing of congressional districts across the country, and it has given urban voters a greater voice in government.

The decision has also helped to reduce the power of the South in Congress. Before Baker v. Carr, the South had a disproportionate number of seats in Congress, and this gave Southern politicians a great deal of power. After Baker v. Carr, the South's representation in Congress was reduced, and this has led to a more balanced distribution of power in the federal government.

The principle of "one person, one vote" is a cornerstone of American democracy. It ensures that all citizens have an equal say in the government, and it has helped to make the United States a more just and equitable society.