Democracy Vs Republic | What's the difference between a Democracy and Republic? Democracy Explained
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- Опубликовано: 14 июл 2024
- In this video we take a brief look at the difference between the two forms of government - democracy and a republic. We first do an overview of the two terms, and look at their general definitions. Then we look at the history behind the first democracy in Athens Greece and the first republic during the Roman Republic. Then we look at the common question of whether the United States is defined by being a Democracy or a Republic. We look at what the founding fathers believed as they met together during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Lastly, we look at what a constitution is and how that unique trait of a republic helps to protest the rights of the minority.
Sources:
www.thoughtco.com/republic-vs....
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic
#Republic #Democracy #DemocracyVsRepublic
"We are a republic if, you can keep it---Ben Franklin.
True, but sadly, that's always been nothing more than a fallacy and a lie $OLD to "The People!"
We need to be more of a hybrid
Someone needs to explain this to the Democratic Party because they are always getting it wrong
A republic is a just government without a monarch.
@@KenBro05no
Excelent video. In my opinion I think the US is a Republic rather than a representative democracy because its laws are focus on protecting the individual rights rather than the majority.
Yeah I think that’s a really good point. 👍🏼Thanks for watching the video, commenting, and always being a big supporter of the channel!
ok
Yes but did you notice the people who are big on pushing the whole Republic thing, really want a democracy? Majority rule and the word minority is a dirty word to them.
@@tammydommel3039 With all due respect I disagree with that statement because a democracy can turn into the tyranny of the majority. In the case of the "minority" or labeling groups is against the rights of the individuals ,that enters into the realm of collectivism but that is another debate.
It is
"The ideal of a constitutional republic is individual liberty. In this century, great strides have been made toward the goal of subverting our republic and transforming it into a democracy. The foremost tactic of the subverters is the subversion of “language” - by calling America a democracy, until people thoughtlessly accept the term and use the term. Totalitarians have obscured the real meanings and principles of the American government.”
Dan Smoot.
Only two types of people support a Democracy. Morons, and those who which to rule them.
Too bad the overwhelming majority of the population is falling for this trick
I had to look up Dan Smoot on Wikipedia. Unsurprisingly, he was a right wing nutjob,
@@adamdrouin2295It’s been a lie spread for decades. It didn’t happen overnight.
Democracy..
...
Any form of government where the Supreme power is vested in the people's vote directly or indirectly........democracy.
ACTUALLY... the US is a constitutional republic.
America was founded on the principles of a Constitutional Republic which protects the individual from their representatives and mob rule. Our founders assumed that men would be virtuous and honor the Constitution. Lacking any enforcement mechanisms allows unscrupulous politicians to circumvent and violate the peoples contract which is what we have today. Simply put, a democracy is universal equality and a republic is individual liberty.
This subject confuses me (I didn't pay attention to anything but girls trucks in school). Do we want a democracy or a republic? I just hear democrats always chanting to the people that we're loosing our democracy, but that's good right?
@@claytoncoker6489 we aren't losing democracy.
The US is not - and never has been a democracy. So what they are saying is factually false on both accounts.
So no, we're not.
Democracy also isn't inherently good. It's flawed. And not the best we got, despite arguments to the contrary.
The founders gave us the ability to tear down recreate a government that was out of control. Without an understanding of the Bill of Rights & our Constitution, we are handing our power away to criminals.
They did not assume men would be virtuous. They flat out said this would fail... and they put in safeguards and wrote about "what to do" when it does fail! They talked about it a lot too! Everyone seems to be unable to learn history despite having such great access to read the writing of the framers themselves!
@@CD-vb9fi Very well said, and all too true!
We are a constitutional republic
Yep and democracy is a lie in this country. No such thing
I know I'm repeating many others before me here, but it must be said. Thank you for basic, straightforward educational materials without bias or agenda (other than education 🙂). Its nearly impossible to find this these days, and I REALLY respect your efforts and content!
Thank you so much! It really helps contribute to the motivation to continue making more videos when I know people are appreciating them. Thanks for watching!
ok
And it's in our national anthem
@@IllustratetoEducate Except you're wrong. As I demonstrated with my comment, and historical sources. I didn't even get into the words, quotes, and writings of the Founding Fathers and the Framers. I didn't cite John Locke, William Blackstone, Montesquieu, Madison, Hamilton, Eldridge Gerry, and so many more. Not to mention the Anti-Federalists. You're putting out bad information that will continue to allow those seeking to subvert the beliefs, values, traditions, and the Constitutional Rule of Law, and pervert it into something it was never meant to be.
@@XLava_what is in our national anthem? If you're referring to "republic" that would be, the pledge of allegiance.
God bless the republic 🇺🇸
Amen 🙏 🙏 🙏 ❤
Let's go TRUMP from Canada lol
🗝 Straightforward explanation, that ALL should be able to understand in a few minutes! 👍🏼
Thanks! That’s the hope behind my channel! I appreciate the comment!
but it's a lie... I can make up anything to sell a lie to.
Dan Smoots take on this is highly recomended for viewing or listening to. He goes 1 step further and points out that the US system is a Constitutional Republic while explaining the dangers of a true democracy.
Yes, Dan Smoots video is correct while this one is a lie.
The USA is not a true democracy it is a representative democracy. The video explained how a true democracy is impractical. Did you not bother to watch it?
@@CD-vb9fiExactly. 100% Correct 💯❤
ruclips.net/video/KZOtEbwwfOM/видео.html
This one isn't a lie. It's just too simplified.
You draw the Constitution very well.
Thank you! 😊
@@IllustratetoEducate
3:05 You were wrong here. The constitution does not allow interpretation such as "2nd Amendment only covers muskets" or "You can't yell "fire" in a crowded theater". Both of these interpretations are unconstitutional because "interpretations" are inherently unconstitutional they always seek to limit and not expand. The founders knew technology would evolve so they were intentionally vague in their wording. The constitution only allows added amendments that do not contradict existing ones assuming a significant vote will approve one.
Who knew there were so many constitutional scholars and experts on government in the comment section? This was a good video explanation and I use it to help explain the difference to my students. Well done.
Nice! I’m glad to hear that (as a former teacher myself)
Yeah, a certain sect within the country loves to say “we’re a Constitutional Republic, not a democracy” as if that makes their cult any less bizarre.
And to the republic for which it stands
Don't look too closely at the so-called Pledge Of Allegiance.
Don't step on my toe.
I was just thinking about this.....now I am getting a unbiased explanation
Thank you
I’m glad you found this to be relevant to what you’ve been wondering about lately. 👍🏼
ok
It is biased actually. He said we have both. May I suggest you go to Robert Breaker - Republic va Democracy.
it's amusing that you consider this in any way unbiased 😂😂
It was well done indeed. I never cease to be amazed by how many folks don’t know the difference. Cheers!
I like the fact that you are giving examples on each system. Keep going!
Those of us who can read the Constitution and understand it vote for what is right. The fundamental flaws of Democracy have been known for over 2000 years to those who have studied history.
Pretty sure they knew what they were saying when they said republic.
Thank you for the simplistic unbiased explanation of so many misunderstood topics
You’re welcome! I hope this simple explanation can be helpful to those that are trying to get a better understanding of government and politics. 👍🏼
ok
Unbiased? He lies in the video. Kratos is "strength, power" in Greek... NOT "rule".
You can look this up... right? Or are you that incapable that you will just believe anything they say on the internet despite the fact you can look up greek words and their meanings online?
A republic protects us from democracy.
Excellent breakdown of the differences! One thing to add is republics also allow the isolation of certain public things that can harm the public at large if left unrestricted. In America's case, we took the Monarchy (Executive branch), Parliament (Legislative Branch), and East-India Trading Company (Corporations) and isolated them together; so all Constitutionally created things, such as the United States (Washington D.C) and its Laws that pass will not effect the Freedom(s) that Americans have by Right. Thus, limiting and restricting the Republic's power to only Persons (Titles or Corporations) they create, and all who bear those Persons.
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.
Republic 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Before Dwight D. Eisenhower became President "ONE NATION UNDER GOD" wasn't in the pledge of allegiance. He added it because of the Red Scare. Its a symbol of theocracy.
"under god" wasn't added until 1954 on Flag Day. There's no evidence that any gods have ever existed, so it was silly to add it in the first place.
@@EddieSchultz62 there's also no evidence of Darwinsm yet we consider it fact in the school system.
@@5fingers4strings17 Okay, cool...You admit there's no evidence for any gods' existence. But there is a lot of evidence for evolution. The ToE is the best explanation for evolution accepted by about 99% of life science scientists, and evolution itself is a fact. I suggest you educate yourself on the subject.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Level_of_support_for_evolution
Republic ! Republic ! Republic !
Bros opinion is so oddly strong that had to chant in the RUclips comment section without using all caps, but using a capital only after every “ !“ but only one letter of course!
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.
*Insert Star Wars joke here*
@@chrisnichols9014 🤣🤣🤣 red alert: yuris revenge.
Hell yeah brother! Coming from a polish slav living in Germany. Europe is domed....
Thanks for the great info video, just subscribed 😀 and going to check the rest of your stuff, thank you very much 😊
Welcome aboard! I'm glad you found the video to be helpful. There are over 120+ videos to check out. And if you have any ideas for new videos, just let me know.
Most often a democracy is just a type of republic, but a republic is not necessarily a type of democracy. Venice and early American times were essentially aristocratic republics, and the process of developing mass democracy has only made things worse and has only made the regime more powerful, because people have been stup1d enough to believe that casting a ballot gives them any real choice, or can somehow hold people accountable while you give them special powers to do things that nobody else has the right to do, while people are muddied so much in their thought process to actually believe that they somehow consented to tyrannical acts by the regime in any meaningful way. Of course it’s even worse than that because most real power in practice is held by unelected even less accountable bureaucrats, bankers, and corporations while being able to grift off of the illusion of choice through elections
Lmao you had me in the first part not gonna lie
Kinda like “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely 🤔
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
We have always been a republic, but we do have many democratic tendencies.
That’s a good way of putting it! :)
Yes, we use democratic processes, but, that makes democratic an adjective, not a noun, which is a significant difference. This linguistic trick is being used to usurp more power to the government without ratifying amendments they know they can't pass.
Your instructional materials are well crafted. Thank you.
Glad you like them! Thank you! 🙏🏼
New subscriber thanks for these endeavors
Thank you so much for subscribing!
Loved this. Simple, straight forward, and short. Learned more now rhen i did in HS. Lol sounds funny but seriously what a great video.
Good video. You have some crazy Sharpie skills
The USA is strictly a republic, no? People vote for representatives, constitution, and minority is protected from majority are all republic things
It’s both a republic and a representative democracy
You have to pay to live, die, travel, provide for your family and self.
Go fish with out a license in a God made body of water or hunt on public paid forest (taxes paid for) if you get caught see what happens..?
Court dates, fines, BS.
What happen to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
You never even truly own your house/land -property taxes are rent, stop paying and they take your land.
Same with car and registration. Right to travel is freedom. Freedom to move.
Sounds like majority rule.
Under common law, who did I hurt by getting 3 fish out of a natural body of water to feed my family?
Pulled over for no seat belt?
Where is the crime?
No crime. Just majority rule making regulations and codes to follow.
@@justinweinzierl7547
None of these are relevant to what a republic is. The point of a republic is to reflect the majority opinion anyways.
@@chandelier6811
No. Republic and Democracy are different things, despite a federal department of education trying to conflate the two.
We are a Constitutional Republic with democratic elections. Notice, democratic is an adjective, not a noun.
In a republic, the government is not your ruler. It is delegated specific powers. Even if the majority wants to do some things they cannot if the charter (Constitution) did not give the government those powers.
This is significantly different than a democracy or representative democracy where the majority can simply vote themselves the power to do what they want.
@@jameeztherandomguy5418
Close but you're missing a very important nuance. A republic delegates only a specific list of powers to the government. If majority opinion wants to do something NOT delegated to the government, then too bad, the majority does not have that power. This is often ignored by those who wish to conflate a republic and a democracy as being the same thing, but they are not.
Well done.......thanks.
The Framers, and Founders most certainly did not use "republic" and "democracy" interchangeably. In Article IV Section 4 of the US Constitution it states, "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,". The Framers and Founders were fearful of democracies. They knew exactly what they were. " Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.” James Madison Federalist 10 and 51. Also, the Founding Fathers and Framers studied history. From Ancient Greece with Plato's Republic, Aristotle, Polybius, and more. They knew full well the meaning of a democracy or a republic. Each member of the House is elected by popular vote in their respective congressional districts, but Americans don't get to vote on federal laws. Not a democracy. Originally members of the US Senate were appointed by their respective state legislatures. Not a democracy. The President of the United States is not elected by popular vote but by the Electoral College. Meaning when you vote you aren't voting for the president you're voting for the electors of the party of the president in your state that have vowed to vote for the candidate of that party. Not a democracy. If people knew more about the differences, and histories between democracies, and republics, especially the Republic of these United States they wouldn't carelessly, and unthinkingly throw about the word democracy and attempt to claim that the United States of America is one> It was never meant to be one, or should be made one. Democracies always without fail degenerate into tyrannies, and dictatorships and everyone suffers. Lastly, not once will you find the word Democracy, democracy, or democratic in the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress October 14th, 1774, The Articles of Association October 20th, 1774, The Declaration of Independence July 4th, 1776, The Articles of Confederation November 15th, 1777, The US Constitution September 17th, 1787, The Bill of Rights December 15th, 1791. But in your infinite wisdom and knowledge of politics, history, and law know more than they that created this nation, and you know more about what they thought, wrote, and spoke than they themselves. Try again.
Dam their is someone who is awake, we hear both partys speaking of america the true democracy. Even putin saying we are. Horse shit.
Democratic process and democracy are not same. Thats what I got from reading.
Well said, I agree wholeheartedly 👍
You are SPOT ON! I am so glad there was someone here a year before me to call out the lies in this video! Thank you for being an informed American! We are in very short supply!
@@CD-vb9fi Thank you for the compliment.
The United States is both a federal constitutional representative republic and federal constitutional representative democracy. It is irrelevant that the word democracy isn't in the constitution. A republic is simply a government without a monarch.
This is a nice simple approach to understanding concepts that shift as all definitions of word do. I do feel that the role of the individual voter , which is not required in a republic, deserves to be noted as a critical and essential foundation of United States democracy. "Government of, by and for the People "requires ongoing direct input by the citizenry in addition to electing representatives to act on our behalf. A functioning democracy is designed to protect the majority from minority rule.
We are a constitutional republic with democratic processes
3:37 just learned this, Judicial Review is not a constitutionally mandated thing or even named in the constitution. Judicial Review comes from the Case of Marbury V Madison
The constitution says we are a republic. End of video.....?
For the Republic!
Do it!
2:30 I call bs because no where in the founding documents was the term democracy used.
Thank you for making this concept simple ❤
Glad it was helpful!
Very well done sir thank you for teaching the truth 😊
“…and to the REPUBLIC for which its stands…” on this July Fourth 2024!
Yea but we are currently an Oligarchy, because the 2 sides still cant figure out whats more important
So a Republic gives people rights that can't be infringed upon, and a pure democracy doesn't. Thank you, forefathers. For the constitution and the USA republic.
Democracy is not mentioned once in constitution or bill of rights that's the difference
#DEMOCRACY
I just want to point out that constitution does not grant power to overturn laws which is called Judicial Review SCOTUS granted themselves that doctrine in the 1803 case Marbury v. Madison
On the flip side, if they don't have Judicial review, then the constitution is meaningless.
Okay should have went into more detail about the minority having as much rights as the majority with examples? Which would be easy comparing states with less population to the ones with more! Actually there’s more examples but that’s usually an easy one to explain! Warm Regards and God Bless Y’all
In Australia, we elect our own dictators. We stopped being a democracry long ago, we are an autocracy. 'Government knows best' as we say down here.
President Woodrow Wilson, a college professor and president, gov of New Jersey, repeatedly said the entry of the US to fight in WWI was to, “Keep the World Safe for Democracy.”
Don't let this guy, whoever he is, tell you any different, America is a Republic.
Prove it.
@@Mike-ne8eb stupid
@@Mike-ne8eb LMAO! The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic. We *have* democracy; we are not *a* democracy. Our Founding Fathers rejected democracy as mob rule (as they should have). Nowhere in the Constitution or other founding documents will you find the word democracy. Article IV Section 4 of our Constitution guarantees all states in the Union a Republican form of government. We are a Republic. A direct democracy is for universal equality. A Republic is for individual liberty. In a direct democracy, we the people would vote for/against laws. In a Republic, our elected representatives vote for/against laws. We are a Republic whether you like it or not. The mere fact you don't know that speaks volumes about your education (or lack thereof).
@@anneharle2644 John Adams used the term "representative democracy" in 1794; so did Noah Webster in 1785; so did Sr. George Tucker in his 1803 edition of Blackstone; so did Thomas Jefferson in 1815. Tucker's Blackstone likewise uses "democracy" to describe a representative democracy, even when the qualifier "representative" is omitted.
Chief Justice John Marshall-who helped lead the fight in the Virginia Convention for ratifying the U.S. Constitution-likewise defended the Constitution in that convention thus:
I conceive that the object of the discussion now before us is whether democracy or despotism be most eligible. I am sure that those who framed the system submitted to our investigation, and those who now support it, intend the establishment and security of the former. The supporters of the Constitution claim the title of being firm friends of the liberty and the rights of mankind. They say that they consider it as the best means of protecting liberty. We, sir, idolize democracy. Those who oppose it have bestowed eulogiums on monarchy. We prefer this system to any monarchy because we are convinced that it has a greater tendency to secure our liberty and promote our happiness. We admire it because we think it a well-regulated democracy: it is recommended to the good people of this country: they are, through us, to declare whether it be such a plan of government as will establish and secure their freedom.
James Wilson, Supreme Court justice at Constitutional Convention referred to the constitution as "democratical" when compared to the "monarchical and aristocratical" forms of government:
"Of what description is the Constitution before us? In its principles, it is purely democratical: varying indeed in its form in order to admit all the advantages, and to exclude all the disadvantages which are incidental to the known and established constitutions of government. But when we take an extensive and accurate view of the streams of power that appear through this great and comprehensive plan … we shall be able to trace them to one great and noble source, THE PEOPLE…"
Thomas Jefferson referred to the United States as a representative democracy in his letter to Mr. Peter H. Wendover in March of 1815.
Monticello Mar. 13. 15.
Sir
Your favor of Jan. 30. was recieved after long delay on the road, and I have to thank you for the volume of discourses which you have been so kind as to send me. I have gone over them with great satisfaction, and concur with the able preacher in his estimate of the character of the belligerents in our late war, and lawfulness of defensive war. I consider the war, with him, as ‘made on good advice,’ that is, for just causes, and it’s dispensation as providential, inasmuch as it has exercised our patriotism and submission to order, has planted and invigorated among us arts of urgent necessity, has manifested the strong and the weak parts of our republican institutions, and the excellence of a representative democracy compared with the misrule of kings; has rallied the opinions of mankind to the natural right of expatriation, and of a common property in the ocean, and raised us to that grade in the scale of nations which the bravery and liberality of our citizen-souldiers, by land and by sea, the wisdom of our institutions and their observance of justice entitled us to in the eyes of the world
@@anneharle2644 The United States is both a federal constitutional representative republic and federal constitutional representative democracy. It is irrelevant that the word democracy isn't in the constitution. A republic is simply a government without a monarch.
You should make a video on the Democratic Republic of Congo
What if the majority in a democracy want something that isn’t right , morally or ethically? Then what ?
Then they get what they want
then we the people use the 2nd amendment to protect ourselves from their criminal actions...
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch."
Benjamin Franklin
So in a democracy, if the majority is not moral, the laws will not be, either. This is precisely why the US is a republic instead.
So a republic is a democracy ruled by a set of accepted rules…
This is why America kicks ass
The republic definition you use is with a constitution attached, and could, in many ways, be considered a representative democracy, as democracy mostly involves the rule of the people in some way, shape, or form.
The nuance you are missing is the inalienable rights. The "rule of law" means the laws are above even the government. The law is the ruler. And the supreme law is the Constitution, which limits the government to explicitly listed powers, preventing the government from enacting laws at the whim of a temporary majority outside the scope of the delegated authority in the Constitution.
The elected representatives cannot legalize murder, theft, etc, no matter the majority opinion/vote because it is not delegated the authority to legislate these by the Constitution. This is how minority rights are protected and why it is significantly different than a democracy, where majority opinion rules absolute.
This matches what I was taught in high-school, although it misses out on some important details, such as the fact that as few of 15% of Athenians were citizens, the rest being slaves and other classes of people.
On your next video, please, make the background music louder because I couldn't hear it on this one...
#democracy #illustrated
a Republic is a type of Democracy. Saying "what is the difference between a Republic and a Democracy" is like asking, "What is the difference between the Earth and planets". The Earth IS a planet.
We are a Constitutional Republic. Ruled by the Constitution which limits govt.
Democracy and Republic are competing political ideologies
Representative democracy is a worse idea than a democracy. It’s easier to persuade 151 of 300 elected representatives to support legislation that is not in the public’s interest, than it is to get 165 million voters to support legislation that is not in the interest of the general public
Just because we elect representatives doesn’t magically transform America into a democracy
Who decides those rules that protect the minorities from the majority in a republic?
In America it is the legislature, and the Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of any and all laws/rights.
The Constitution. The government is only given an explicit list of powers. If the Constitution does not EXPLICITLY say the government is delegated the authority to do something, then it does NOT have that power.
The government is currently violating this in MANY ways, but because most people are ignorant and/or apathetic about politics, we have not held them accountable to being Constitutionally limited.
You did fine till 2:35 when you went off the rails. Also, though many of the representatives at the convention were as ignorant about the form of government being proposed as you appear to be, the leadership, Madison, Franklin, Jefferson (in France but still involved) knew exactly what they were about.
We have a representative REPUBLIC. ALL of the founding Fathers deeply distrusted a democracy. Additionally, all the previous democratic experiments had failed miserably! Madison,et al, didn't want to repeat that mistake. Much of what inspired the Declaration Of Independence and the Constitution was greatly influenced by the writings of Thomas Payne and Francis Bacon.
When asked what kind of government had been established, Benjamin Franklin replied, "A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it!" Many of our states are making serious errors by turning their governments into Democracies. California is a good example of this type of mob rule. It's a disaster, and the state is coming apart at the seams as a result.
Time to go back to being a Republic.
Very nice but kratos doesn't mean rule it means "state" wich means a state by the people
Good clarification! Thanks!
What is the Greek words of democracy?
The word democracy comes from the Greek words "demos", meaning people, and "kratos" meaning power; so democracy can be thought of as "power of the people": a way of governing which depends on the will of the people.
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.
Yeah, still don’t get it. What I gathered is a republic is a democracy that has a constitution
We're a republic and democracy but NOT a monarchy. We rule by the people who elect rep. Who vote for them. They have ability to vote them out. Taking that away makes us a dictatorship. We can't go that route where only one man makes our decisions for us!
Why is it that people insist on calling it a democracy when it is not.
The problem with democracy is…if one group of people take over the current ruling group…they rule and use their system. And so on and so forth and on and on. With a representative republic….or ours is a constitutional republic…we select or representatives. Plus we have a constitution that can not be changed on a whim…but requires 3/4 of the states.
We have a constitutional federal republic. Republic is the right of the people to vote for representation as a majority. It is also the right of the people to be left alone and be a anarchist as was the articles of confederation. Constitution honors that in Article 6, clause 1. The very reason most American are not free note using their constitutional right to create the government one likes best
Wow
What's in a name? That which you call a rose, by any other name, smells just as sweet. -some british fella
The only thing that he missed, is that you can still have majority rule in the Republic.... but said rule has limits.
Otherwise, my only complaint is the Use of BCE calendar notation.
Primarily because I've come to view it as Anti-Christian in nature, if not always in practice,
In a Democracy, if the majority wants my bicycle, they can and will take it. Period.
You said, "Democracy requires that the people be allowed to take part in the government and its political processes." People should be allowed and many don't. You also said, "All citizens who are eligible to vote take an equal part in directly making laws that govern them." Were all citizens not eligible? Were there requirements to be allowed to vote? Once upon a time only landowners, paying taxes were allowed to vote.
Don’t worry about a democracy. We are a republic. Democracy is flawed and leads to dictatorship in every case.
I think electoral college fits the constitution Republic, that some Academics and politicians want to get rid off, by giving power to popular vote ( where majority rules and ignores minorities).
United States is a constitutional republic. A republic is based on only electing representatives to represent the people. But a constitutional republic limits the powers of those representatives in order to protect the rights and liberty of the people.
"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."
Basically Democracy is the dictatorship of the mayority and Republic is the representation of the mayority and minorities in a context of laws.
@Souven Tudu dictatorship of the majority is an oxymoron
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.
@@Kyle-fq4kq It would be more accurate to use tyranny of the majority.
We live in a republic.
The U.S. IS a Constitutional Republic.
Each State IS a Democracy.
In law school we were taught that America is a democratic republic, and anything else is BS because in a democracy we can be ruled by the tyranny of the majority, but innocent. It kind of happens if you look at it by the number of people in the state who have more representatives than others, because they have a higher population.. however, at the time the US Constitution was written in Virginia was the biggest state and people at the convention were bitching that Virginia would have more rights so that brought forth what was part of the Virginia plan, and the Virginia constitution that was bicameral., the senators are elected for six years and each state get two senators, regardless of the number of people in the state & the president is elected by electoral votes, rather than majority vote even know each state has the number of electors that equal the representatives in that state or commonwealth
I stand by Republic... democracy, the majority still has restrictions. No voice.
I love Republicanism it's my favorite political government, Blessed Be.
“Is the US a republic or a democracy?”
It is neither. It is an aristocratic oligarchy where a minority of wealthy people rule.
To answer the question, is it a democracy or a republic, it is necessary to first determine who rules. If your answer was “the people rule” this is incorrect. The people do not rule in either a republic or a democracy. For that you would need to be a sortition. Only with universal suffrage and sortition will the government be a proportional, representative democracy.
Read the documents! We are a Republic! The democrats party is trying their hardest to turn it into a dictatorship though.
In a republic, property owners decide what the public can decide.
Personally what I get from this is that a republic uses many aspects of democracy but has more representation for under represented groups. One thing I notice however is that the democracy and republic have both the capacity to be good or bad depending on the context. A minority group could have massive advantages over other groups like wealth and power despite being a minority by numbers. But the voting majority could completely stall and even deflect meaningful and objectively good policy change at the same time due to bias.
No. A republic makes a list of powers the people give to the government. This is how people are protected from the majority. You simply don't give the government the power to hurt others.
The only thing "democratic" about a republic is if they use democratic elections to elect their representatives. In this case, "democratic" is an adjective for the elections, not an adjective of the form of government and not a noun like democracy. They are different things.
Moreover, "disadvantage" in this context is only relevant to THE LAWS. Everyone must be treated equally by THE LAW. It is actually IMMORAL to expect equal advantage or outcomes. Those require a dictator with a finger on the scales, which means some people WILL be abused for the benefit of others.
Most things should NEVER be subject to "policy", no matter how much you think the outcome might be better. This violates freedom and opens the doors to tyrants.
Govern, NOT rule! There IS a difference.
Is the United States a democracy?
Yes, the United States is a democracy, since we, the people, hold the ultimate political power. We’re not a “direct democracy,” but we are a “representative democracy.”
This is where our history education might add some confusion. We are commonly taught that democracy is a product of ancient Greece. It’s their word - demokratia - after all. The city-state of Athens is credited with implementing a system of government of and by the people, whereby eligible citizens would congregate to make decisions. They’d make these decisions themselves (or “directly”), not through any elected representatives.
That system of government, better understood today as direct democracy, lives on in the United States in the form of ballot initiatives and referenda. Some states and localities afford their citizens the right to use these measures to directly enact, change, or repeal laws themselves.
More commonly, we exercise our political power in a different way: by voting in elections to choose our representatives. That’s representative democracy.
The Constitution does not use the term “democracy.” It’s true. But as Eugene Volokh notes in the Washington Post, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Noah Webster, Justice James Wilson and Chief Justice John Marshall all used the word. These scholars understood representative democracy - the American variety - to be democracy all the same.
Is the United States a republic?
Yes. The United States is a republic because our elected representatives exercise political power.
History also tells us that Rome was a republic, unlike Athens. When its monarchy was overthrown, Rome developed a republican system of government whereby citizens elected officials who were empowered to make decisions for the public. That’s the core of how our government works. While “democracy” and “republic” have been historically pitted against one another, the reality is that the two terms enjoy considerable overlap.
So, which term should I use?
It’s really up to you. In practice, the word “republic” has the same meaning as the term “representative democracy.” And a representative democracy is a form of democracy in the same way that a Granny Smith apple is a form of apple. We wouldn’t say it’s inaccurate to use “apple” to describe a Granny Smith apple, so it’s OK to follow in the footsteps of Jefferson, Adams, Webster, and Chief Justice Marshall and simply call our “representative democracy” a “democracy.”
But it’s also accurate to call the United States a “republic.” It’s mostly about your preference of words. Hopefully, this post will help lower the heat in the online debate. Let’s put our energy toward working to fix our government so it represents the people!
What type of government is the US, exactly?
To be very specific, the United States could be defined as a “federal constitutional representative democracy.” You might also call it a “federal constitutional republic.” Let’s break those terms down.
Constitutional: Our system of government is considered constitutional, because the power exercised by the people and their representatives is bound by the constitution and the broader rule of law.
Federal: Our government is also a federal system, since power is shared between a national government, representing the entire populace, and regional and local governments.
These two terms can come in handy when you want to get really exact with your description. It’s accurate to call our government a “federal constitutional republic” or a “federal constitutional democracy,” but it’s probably overkill to be that specific. These terms just help us further define our governmental structure, especially when comparing the United States to other countries.
Bonus: Is the United States still a democracy/republic?
In the literal sense of the word, yes. In practice, the answer is more complicated. In 2016, The Economist Intelligence Unit downgraded the United States from a “full democracy” to a “flawed democracy” in its Democracy Report, an annual study of the “state of democracy” around the world.
There were a number of reasons the nation’s rating fell, but one of the most important was the American public’s declining trust in government. Our system of government depends on citizens being able to freely elect leaders who will represent their interests. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. In a study published 2014, two political scientists found that, on average, the policies representatives pursue are not in fact dictated by public opinion. This is the mark of a flawed democracy/republic: election without true representation.
In 2021, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) classified the United States as a "backsliding democracy" for the first time.
So, is the United States a democracy or a republic?
Excellent video - Seems like we just need a 'Chartered Democracy' then.
Whereby people can make decisions for themselves instead of [lobby bought] Representatives.
But there is a Constitution in place to ensure no laws that harm a certain minority group can ever be passed - Human Rights basically.
?
No, Democracy would be WORSE.
A democracy, the majority can tell you what to do on anything the majority decides to. The point of a republic is to make sure the government CANNOT tell you what to do in protected things.
Our problem is too many people who are IGNORANT of how this works so they don't get mad when our government violates the limits placed on it by the Constitution, or the ones who WILLINGLY ignore it because they REALLY think they should be able to tell you what to do.
I'm a South African though I kinda agree with democracy
Democracy defined: "2 wolves and 1 sheep deciding what's for dinner".
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." say it again AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS...........What part of that d o people NOT understand. 1892
I'm confused is the Democratic back in the old days was the United Government and the Republic was the States?
No. Nothing in the US is a democracy.
The States were independent nations (sovereign).
The States wanted to have something like a treaty for mutual defense and commerce.
They tried several different things, but they all fell apart.
Someone proposed what's called a federation - a union that is slightly more binding than a treaty.
Most States said no, they don't want to lose their sovereignty. They wanted to stay independent States and just have an agreement between us all.
The framers came up with this Constitutional Republic. In non-political speak, it goes something like this:
"Look, we are not putting a new ruler over the States. The States get to stay sovereign. What we're going to do is put this committee over here and we're going to make a list of what they can do:
1.
2.
3.
etc
If it's not in the list, they can't do it. If it IS in the list, then we all agree we have to follow along with the rules. You get to send your own people to the committee and they get to vote on everything that happens. Also, we're going to divide up the powers in this committee. One branch executes the laws, one branch makes the laws, and one branch is to make sure everything is done legally. This way, we don't make a dictator. We're all using a Republic form of government, so we'll make this committee function as a Republic too, and every State that joins us must also agree to be a Republic. If we want to make any changes, it requires a super-majority of the States to agree so that States cannot abuse other States."
Eventually, the States agreed. The "committee" is the federal government. The list of powers delegated to them is the Constitution.
Sadly, the federal government is violating the limits of their powers in MANY ways, to include a department of education that does not teach this as it really is any more. Why? Because then the people don't get mad when the federal government exceeds it's powers.
The US is both . Republican in the sense tht the chief executive is not hereditary. And democratic in the sense that most public officials who make important policy and pass laws, are popularly elected.
0:21 Kratos!!!!
Two wings, same bird.
We're taking this country back
Yep, you really blew it when you said our founding fathers did not understand the concept of republic vs democracy. James Madison knew more back then about all the governments of history than most, (evidently you) know today. They clearly chose a republic over a democracy.
The Federalist Papers spent a good bit of time discussion the importance of protecting individuals (groups with minority opinions) from the so-called “tyranny of the majority”. Sadly I think the USA has been eroding these protections quite rapidly in recent times.
A Constitutional Republic is a form of democracy, if you don't say that you are lying.