Nailed It !
Posted on 02/27/2017 10:13:05 AM PST by Mozilla
During my middle and high school years, I found it strange to say a pledge to the United States flag, “and to the republic for which it stands,” and in the same class, be taught the United States was a democracy. The teacher would correct my inquisitive nature by stating, “It’s semantics. Democracy and republic are really the same thing. The United States is a democratic republic.” Not satisfied with that justification of semantics and nuance, I continued to explore and discover the difference between U.S. republic and democracy, and I’m still exploring it today. Let’s explore and discover together!
Where did the ideas come from which provided the Framers with the foundations for America’s unique republican form of government?
In his book Republic (Greek: Politeia), Plato argues the definition of justice and the role of the city and the individual in discovering the definition of justice (Book I & II). He defends educating the ‘Guardians’ of a just city (the collective) at an early age (Book III & IV). And, in his ‘just city’, no distinction exists between man or woman, families, marriage, private property and he proclaims the best form of government consists of philosopher kings (i.e. truth seekers, incorruptible, just men, etc.) who are the best rulers for this “good city” (Book VI-X).
Cicero, in his work Of Republic (Latin: De Re Publica), defined republic as ‘property of the public’ (Book 1: 39). He surmised that the ideal form of government was to mix monarchy, aristocracy and democracy together (Book 1: 53). In Cicero’s view, leadership of this ‘ideal’ form of government was best left to nobility (the aristocracy/the Senate) to govern the perfect republic.
John Adams, in his 1786 effort A Defence [sic] of the Constitutions of Government of the United States, explores republican forms of government throughout world history. During the 1787 U.S. Constitutional convention, his work heavily influenced the delegates’ consideration of different forms of government.
In modern times, republic may be defined by SIRI and Google on your Smartphone as a ‘representative democracy’.
During the Center for Self Governance Level 1 in-class exercises, trainees give several of their own definitions for republic. They may say, republic means ‘rule of law’ or ‘rule by elected representatives’. Some students say it means ‘rule by the people’ or ‘rule by all’. Ironically, by the end of Level 1 they often ask “Have we (the U.S. governed) ever functioned as the U.S. republic was designed?”
Given that no single or concisely agreed upon definition for ‘U.S. republic’ exists, it is no less surprising that consolidating the U.S. republic with democracy dominates the modern narrative in schools, the media, political figures, and the U.S. culture at large. The Latin word ‘res publica’, literally means ‘the public thing.’ And in Greek, the word ‘democracy’ is ‘demos kratos’ or ‘people power’. Do the two meanings, ‘of the public’ and ‘people power’, mean the U.S. is supposed to be a democratic-republic fusion?
Let’s consider the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) otherwise known as North Korea. Is it republican in form because it is ‘of the people’? It has a constitution and separate legislative, executive and judicial branches – so does it have checks and balances? The people vote for representation – so is rule by the people a democratic function? The parliament passes laws – so does it have rule by law? It has all the so-called structural elements of ‘republic’. So, if democracy and republic are semantically the same thing, then the United States, being similarly structured, is like the North Korean government, right?
Most Americans would say North Korea is a totalitarian dictatorship, and not a republic, because the people live under the tyranny of their god, the one ‘Dear Leader’ – Kim Jung Un. I wonder, after the recent elections, how many Americans would say the current president is a totalitarian dictator too? It might also be said that North Koreans are oppressed and live in slavery. The irony is that both countries’ constitutions guarantee the right of suffrage, freedom of speech, equality, human rights, private property rights, and so on.
Some may even say the difference between the two so-called ‘democratic republics’ may be the peaceful transfer of control enjoyed during a U.S. presidential election. Considering the recent election, define peaceful transfer. The U.S. is a nation based on the social ideals of its founding leaders (Christianity), while North Korea is a nation based on the social ideals of its founding leaders (Juche). Depending on your perspective and worldview, the origins and outcomes are very different but the governance structure is still fundamentally the same.
So then, what makes the U.S. republican structure with its hint of democracy at election time different from the North Korean democratic republic? Ask yourself; can a North Korean or an American maintain any and every political boundary within their republican structure? And if they tried, what would be the end-result? The North Korean, if they attempted to maintain or steer the DPRK, would end up either executed or imprisoned. The American could similarly face execution like Lavoy Finicum at the Malheur Refuge, Oregon, or imprisonment like Ammon Bundy in Bunkerville, Nevada.
This is the important difference: The governed (that’s us, regardless of voting status) have the right to maintain the political boundaries of our republican structure. Unlike our North Korean counterparts, U.S. citizens (the governed) are free to become the keepers of their government. The American must merely sacrifice their time to learn the system and maintain their U.S. republic daily, while periodically using a democratic control (voting). For Americans, learning the system is they key.
Throughout human history, the idea that the governed could maintain, let alone steer, their structure of government in shared cooperation with the governors was laughable, if not contemptible – until the creation of the unique, experimental U.S. republic.
In his first inaugural address, George Washington stated, “…the destiny of the republican model of government…is staked on an experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people”
Is the destiny of North Korea in the hands of the North Korean people? Of course not. But you can take the destiny of the U.S. republic into your hands by learning the system and applying that knowledge. Are you ready to start keeping your republic?
The U.S. is a Republic, not a democracy.
Nailed It !
The US is a Representative Republic.
If you can keep it.
A republic, if we can keep it. The president is only a national figure in times of war, otherwise he or she should be of minor importance to citizens of the several states. Until we get back to a federal system, where the states have sovereignty and self-determination, we will forever be but a shadow of what the Constitution clearly outlines.
But isn’t it unfair to expect liberals to use the “R word”? Isnt the very utterance a microaggression? What if their tender widdle feeling are hurt? Surely we should use the words “our democracy” so everyone feels warms and included! (Pass the cocoa and a barf bag, please)
Constitutional Republic.
1 class in high school for all Students to offset Socialist propaganda
In 2014 two Princeton professors concluded that America is an Oligarchy:
“…Our analyses suggest that majorities of the American public actually have little influence over the policies our government adopts. Americans do enjoy many features central to democratic governance, such as regular elections, freedom of speech and association, and a widespread (if still contested) franchise. But we believe that if policy making is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America’s claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened.”
5th MEB: The US is a Representative Republic.
Meanings of words change over time. “Democracy” in modern English means a republic where the representatives are freely chosen by the people and government’s legitimacy comes from consent of the governed, not the pure democracy of ancient Athens. Justice Scalia referred to America as a “Democracy” all the time.
“You mean a Constitutional Republic.”
The USSR was a constitutional republic too. So is Iran. But they aren’t democratic because the people have no real say in who they get to choose from to represent them.
ping
Hugin: The USSR was a constitutional republic too. So is Iran. But they aren’t democratic because the people have no real say in who they get to choose from to represent them.Iran is an Islamic Republic.
They both had/have constitutions.
Thanks to Philman_36 for pinging me here from another related discussion and thread.
Below was my second last reply regarding USA, Republic and Democracy issue in another thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/3528891/posts?page=83#83
Read this from an official USA government website: http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/publication/2008/06/20080628202248eaifas0.9543421.html#axzz4a95mNdN8
Quoted excerpt (from last link):
“Similarities and Differences Between the U.S. System of Government and Other Forms of Democratic Government
As a constitutional federal republic, the United States is not unique. Many “democracies” are in fact constitutional republics, and share with the United States long traditions of democratic representation, the rule of law, and constitutional protections.”
The US is a Federal Republic with a Constitution. That’s the system of government for the US. And, the US Constitution has ALL aspects and elements of a democracy.
A Federal Republic with a Constitution (such as the U.S.) does not mean the same is not a ‘democracy’, or preclude it from being a ‘democracy’, or having ‘democratic elements’ within it, as the U.S. does.
In sum, the US is officially a Federal Republic with a Constitution which is very democratic - hence, in principles, USA is a DEMOCRACY (in action), as the Founding Fathers envisioned. The US Constitution is how those Democratic Principles are applied, specifically, in the form of Bill of Rights (Constitutional protection).
>>>”The USSR was a constitutional republic too. So is Iran. But they aren’t democratic because the people have no real say in who they get to choose from to represent them.”<<<
Iran today has a Constitution too. BUT, the constitution is an Islamic Republic. It depends on the SPECIFIC CONTENT of a given CONSTITUTION.
The Constitution of today’s Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) :
1) Combines religion with politics. Specifically, a 12er Shia Jaafari Sect.
2) You must belong to the above mentioned Shia sect to be able to be nominated as the Head of State (Supreme Leader), and be elected as a President (currently, Rouhani).
Hence, the Islamic Republic of Iran today is a THEOCRATIC government, with semblance of Democracy.
It means, although Iranian citizens can vote, elect government representatives, have freedom of assembly, rule of (sharia) law, freedom of religion (to a limited & specific degree), and freedom of speech, these freedoms are ALL strictly within the confines of an Islamic Theocracy.
OTOH, the US Constitution is a (Secular) democratic one (separation of religion from state). That is the main difference.
My point exactly. Republic is such a broad term it can mean almost anything, from Islamic to Communist. And the original Res Public was Rome, where leaders were elected by the people but had to come from the noble class.
What differentiates us is that we are democratic, in the Jeffersonian sense of all citizens being equal, and government coming from the consent of the governed. That’s how “democracy” is used in today’s English, not a reference to Athens style direct majority rule. That’s how Scalia used it, and how I use it. Arguing that “we are not a democracy, we are a republic” just confuses things.
>>>”that’s how “democracy” is used in today’s English, not a reference to Athens style direct majority rule. ......... Arguing that “we are not a democracy, we are a republic” just confuses things.”<<<
Spot on.
Good to read clear thinking.
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