Posted on 11/30/2019 7:32:56 AM PST by Moonman62
One of the most commonly encountered questions about the word democracy has nothing to do with its spelling or pronunciation, and isnt even directly related to the meaning of the word itself. That question is is the United States a democracy or a republic? The answer to this, as with so many other questions about meaning, may be phrased as some form of it depends.
Some people assert that a country calling itself a democracy must be engaged in direct (or pure) democracy, in which the people of a state or region vote directly for policies, rather than elect representatives who make choices on their behalf. People who follow this line of reasoning hold that the United States is more properly described as a republic, using the following definition of that word: "a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law."
However, both democracy and republic have more than a single meaning, and one of the definitions we provide for democracy closely resembles the definition of republic given above: "a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections."
So if someone asks you if the United States is a democracy or a republic, you may safely answer the question with either both or it depends.
(Excerpt) Read more at merriam-webster.com ...
Wrong answer.
No, I didn't read the article, only the headline.
How does it matter which one people call it? Does it change the nature of our form of government?
Actions matter.... words are cheap.
Many counties and cities are partially or fully the same.
In rural America, where in many small towns where we have annual town meetings, much of the business is decided directly by citizens voting and that part is a democracy.
We elect selectmen, school board membersetc., and that part is representative republic.
Patriots, get it straight.
LEARN YOUR Constitution AS WRITTEN AND ORIGINALLY UNDERSTOOD AND INTENDED.
It’s an Administrative State.
Its a republic. Just because liberals apply other definitions to democracy than what it actually means doesnt change anything.
Those who insist were not a republic went ahead and slipped the 17th amendment into our perfect original constitution. This must be changed back.
We didn’t!
With the passing of the 17th Amendment it’s pretty much a mob-ocracy now.
Its a representative republic.
The pledge of allegiance doesn’t say “ and to the democracy, for which it stands...”
I think I read this article years ago. It doesn't 'depend.' We ARE democratic, but we are NOT a democracy, we are a constitutional republic ... which happens to be democrat-IC.
And quite frankly, the 'constitutional' adjective takes precedence over the 'democratic' adjective.
But since I'm sure this opinion was produced by a so called journalist or so called academic, it tries to make the argument that ... 'well ... it depends.' It doesn't.
(sorry didn't read the article again, lazy of me but I think I remember it and that doesn't change what's above, which I'm sure could be adjusted by someone here who is truly fully educated on this, whereas I am just a relatively thorough hack.)
I will defer to Benjamin Franklin on this.
“The deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was provided immediately. A Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”
This exchange was recorded by Constitution signer James McHenry in a diary entry that was later reproduced in the 1906 American Historical Review. Yet in more recent years, Franklin has occassionally been misquoted as having said, “A democracy, if you can keep it.” The NRA’s Charleton Heston quoted Franklin this way, for example, in a CBS 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace that was aired on December 20, 1998.
This misquote is a serious one, since the difference between a democracy and a republic is not merely a question of semantics but is fundamental. The word “republic” comes from the Latin res publica which means simply “the public thing(s),” or more simply “the law(s).” “Democracy,” on the other hand, is derived from the Greek words demos and kratein, which translates to “the people to rule.” Democracy, therefore, has always been synonymous with majority rule.
Also:
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Semper Fi!
That is the day the Republic died. You’re right though, it must be changed back to where the Senate is appointed by the State Legislatures.
“....and to the democracy for which it stands...” Nah. Doesn’t work for me. Of course, like a lot of FReepers, we learned the pledge before the “..under God...” was added to it.
It was a a republic up until the end of Mr. Lincoln’s War.
It’s a faux republic run by an un-elected unaccountable administrative bureaucracy. Let’s quit kidding ourselves.
Question answered.
A sophisticated CRIMINAL STATE masquerading as a free republic.
Just look at the recent MOST EVIL administration in our history. Obama, Obama, Biden, Clinton, Clinton, Holder, Lerner, Kerry. Lynch, etc., etc.,...not counting the propagandists, the indoctrinators, the robed mullahs and other ancillary liars/criminals Gruber, etc., etc..
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