Final answer:
The framers of the U.S. Constitution feared direct democracy due to concerns about mob rule, the potential for transient public passions to determine policy, and the risk of tyranny of the majority. They opted for a Federal Republic with indirect democratic features like the Electoral College and representation in governance. The debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists also underscored concerns about centralized power and the protection of individual liberties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The framers of the U.S. Constitution were greatly influenced by their experiences under British rule and their study of philosophical ideas during the Enlightenment. This foundation fueled their fear of direct democracy, as they believed it could lead to mob rule and the potential tyranny of the majority, where the masses might make rash decisions swayed by transient passions or demagogues. To prevent this, they devised a system of a Federal Republic that employs principles such as Popular Sovereignty and Limited Government, where citizens would indirectly participate in governance by electing representatives, including an Electoral College system for electing the president, rather than through direct legislative or executive actions by the voting public.
During the formation of the Constitution, many expressed skepticism towards direct democracy; this included concerns about property owners who might consolidate power and the belief that only landholders were fit to uphold liberty. The resulting Constitution was seen as the triumph of an ordered liberty, laying down an intricate balance that could counter the era's socio-political instability. It was also in response to fears that the elite, or property owners, might dominate the political landscape to the detriment of broader interests. Eventually, the framers created new paths to express democratic values while also installing safeguards against potential abuses that could arise from a more direct form of democracy.
Throughout the debate over the Constitution, the opposing views of Federalists and Anti-Federalists highlighted the tensions between the desire for centralized governance to promote unity and fears that such centralization might infringe upon individual rights and state powers. This led to calls for a Bill of Rights, ultimately becoming a cornerstone for safeguarding personal freedoms within the federal system which the framers were designing.