Pellinore
Platinum Member
- May 30, 2018
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I'm just going to wander in here once again to remind everyone that ...
A republic is a type of government in which different representatives of the people perform different tasks within the government. This is in contrast to an absolute monarchy, where everything is done by (or in the name of) the monarch. We are definitely a republic, I don't think anyone disputes that.
A democracy is defined as a type of government in which the power to make change lies with all of the people. This is in contrast to an autocracy (one person), a theocracy (the church), or a plutocracy (the wealthy), among others. To determine if we are a democracy, let's look at two types of democracy: direct and indirect.
A direct democracy (also called a pure or Athenian democracy) is a type of democracy in which everyone votes on every proposal; it is not feasible in anything larger than maybe a village. We are definitely not a direct democracy.
Another type of democracy is an indirect democracy (also called a representative democracy) in which people vote for one or more representatives, who then gather centrally and vote to reflect their constituency's wishes. This is exactly what takes place in our Congress (where we elect Representatives and Senators) and with our President (where we elect Electors). We are definitely an indirect, representative democracy ... which, incidentally, is virtually synonymous with "republic."
None of these definitions are an arcane or subversive plot; they are all simple definitions of government types. If you would like links, I would direct you to your high school government class textbooks, if you still have them, because that is about when you should have learned this.
We are both a republic and a democracy.
A republic is a type of government in which different representatives of the people perform different tasks within the government. This is in contrast to an absolute monarchy, where everything is done by (or in the name of) the monarch. We are definitely a republic, I don't think anyone disputes that.
A democracy is defined as a type of government in which the power to make change lies with all of the people. This is in contrast to an autocracy (one person), a theocracy (the church), or a plutocracy (the wealthy), among others. To determine if we are a democracy, let's look at two types of democracy: direct and indirect.
A direct democracy (also called a pure or Athenian democracy) is a type of democracy in which everyone votes on every proposal; it is not feasible in anything larger than maybe a village. We are definitely not a direct democracy.
Another type of democracy is an indirect democracy (also called a representative democracy) in which people vote for one or more representatives, who then gather centrally and vote to reflect their constituency's wishes. This is exactly what takes place in our Congress (where we elect Representatives and Senators) and with our President (where we elect Electors). We are definitely an indirect, representative democracy ... which, incidentally, is virtually synonymous with "republic."
None of these definitions are an arcane or subversive plot; they are all simple definitions of government types. If you would like links, I would direct you to your high school government class textbooks, if you still have them, because that is about when you should have learned this.
We are both a republic and a democracy.