The founders of the United States established the Electoral College as a compromise between direct popular voting and election by Congress. One primary concern among the founders was the fear of mob rule and the potential for a majority to oppress minority interests. They were wary of a system where uneducated or uninformed voters could make decisions that might lead to impulsive or detrimental outcomes for the country.
To address this concern, the Electoral College was designed to serve as a buffer between the popular vote and the selection of a president. By allocating electors who would cast votes based on the choice of their state's electorate rather than popular will directly deciding the presidency, the system aimed to create a more deliberative process. This way, electors—who were presumed to be more informed and judicious—would ultimately have the responsibility of making the final decision on the presidency, thereby reducing the risk of rash choices influenced by fleeting public opinion.
In summary, the Electoral College was created as a mechanism to ensure a level of thoughtful consideration in presidential elections and to mitigate the risks associated with direct democracy, reflecting the founders' concerns about the potential volatility of public sentiment.
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