2008-Nov-28 07:24 UTC
Democracy vs Republic
There exists a great misconception as to what type of government
the United States was built upon; What our founding fathers so
carefully intended for us.
You would not be surprised if an average person off the street
were to answer "Democratic" in response to the question
"What type of government does the United States have?"
Most would be surprised to know that is incorrect. The document
that is the supreme law of the land in the United States of America
is the Constitution for the United States. This document does
not once mention the word
Democracy in its text. The
type of government the founding fathers crafted for us is a
Republic!
As an example, recall the words one speaks when pledging his
(or her) allegiance to the flag of the United States: "
I
pledge allegiance to the flag and the Republic
for which it stands."
So, what is the difference between a Democracy and a Republic
one wonders? Here is a great document that explains it very
clearly:
"
Democracy or Republic, which is it?"
by Benedict D. LaRosa.
I leave you with a few quotes on the topic, which you'll also
find in referenced document.
Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts,
and murders itself. There never was a democracy that did not
commit suicide.
-- John Adams
As a rule, tyranny arises from democracy.
-- Plato in Plato's REPUBLIC
A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It
can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves
largess of the public treasury. From that moment on the majority
always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from
the public treasury with the result that Democracy always collapses
over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by a Dictatorship.
-- Professor Alexander Fraser Tyler
... sidster