What is the difference between a republic and a democracy?
The first American dictionary, which was published in 1828 by Noah Webster (who is considered to be one of the founding fathers), gave the following definitions:
Republic: A state in which the exercise of the sovereign power is lodged in representatives elected by the people. In modern usage, it differs from a democracy or democratic state, in which the people exercise the powers of sovereignty in person.
Democracy: Government by the people; a form of government, in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of the people collectively, or in which the people exercise the powers of legislation. Such was the government of Athens.
So, in a republic, the elected representatives create legislation within the framework established by the nation's charter, and in a democracy the people create the legislation directly by majority vote. The founders saw many dangers inherent in a democracy, and they rejected it as a dangerous form of government, prone to a kind of "mob rule" mentality. They established a republic and, as shall be seen, placed limits upon the power of the legislature by which they could create law, thus seeking to prevent tyranny.
The founders of this nation understood well the different forms of government, and consciously created a republic, rather than a democracy. They understood that democracy was based upon "majority rules," and recognized that every democracy bears within its structure the basis for its ultimate destruction. A nation which ebbs and flows based upon the emotions which can be brought to bear upon the "masses" will sooner or later destroy itself because principles will be compromised to meet the whims of the majority. In a democracy, unpopular or weak segments of society will eventually loose to the demands of the majority. For example, a democracy could decide to take the wealth or possessions from some and redistribute those properties to others based upon a majority vote.
On the other hand, the basis of a republic is law which applies to all, which is limited to a specific scope, and which protects all equally. The republic established by those who founded this nation is based upon the principle of limited government, government which has defined powers. All individuals and agencies within the government are to operate within the bounds established in the Nation's Charter---The United States Constitution.
It was last updated on April 11, 2006 at 4:37:55 PM CDT.
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The Republic For Which We Stand
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