Thank you for your post.
Some years ago now, when I was a child, just beginning public school in the 40’s, we all began the school day the same way.
We all stood ... and repeated out loud ...
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands ... “
(N.B., this was later added to with “... one Nation under God, ...).
And, yet today, we have seen and heard the news of the need to “Save our Democracy” ...
Does no one read Plato’s “The Republic” anymore, especially
Part Nine - Imperfect Societies - with their various forms of government and their transitions?
As a spoiler - following the “Democratic Character” of “versatile but lacking in principle” comes “Tyranny”.
We have arrived!