Note: Over the years word meanings have changed. In order to understand the Constitution, it is imperative that we understand the words used as the Founding Fathers understood them, rather than how we define them today. The following video explains. (note: Because of the very informative comments below which were made by Stephen, I have added the following video:)
Websters on line dictionary(1913 and 1928)
While attending college in the 60’s I was taught that the U.S. was a “Democratic Republic”. My Father would rebuttal by saying, “no, we are a Republic. Thinking my professors, and text books knew more than my Dad, I dismissed his words.
But in more recent times, I notice students are being taught that the U.S. is a Democracy…leaving out Republic all together. My curiosity began to get the best of me, and I discovered that in the 60’s (and even earlier) the U.S. educational system began rewriting history: my father was right!
Democracy
Defined: A government by the people; a government in which the power is lodged in the hands of the majority. Athens, Greece had a Democracy.
- Judge Napolitano , a Constitutional Attorney, points out that, in a Democracy, the majority can vote to take your property, and your freedom if they so desire.
- Results: mobocracy/mob rule
- Majority rules without restraint or regard to consequences
- History shows that Democracies result in agitation, discontent and eventually anarchy. As a result, this form of government has always ended in a collapse.
- The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)U.S. Politics Books) : James Madison, “Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention: have ever been found incompatible with personal security of rights of property: and have in general been as short lived in their duration as they have been violent in their Deaths.”
- If one reads the Constitution they will discover the word democracy never appears, but the word Republic does. Have you ever noticed we “pledge allegiance to the Republic”?
We have done a disservice to the Egyptians now demonstrating in their Country for freedom by telling them we are a Democracy. If they had been told the truth, they might now be putting the emphasis on the creation of a Constitution (which would limit the powers of their government), rather than demonstrating for higher wages. Could this also be part of the story of what is happening now in the U.S.?
Republic
- Defined: The sovereign power is vested in representatives elected by the people. Those elected are not authorized to legislate as they please. They are limited to what the Constitution allows. Learn more at this link: https://ringaroundthephonics.com/2021/05/11/republic-defined-are-we-still-a-republic-what-is-a-banana-republic/
- Authority is derived through elections by the people who elect those they think best suited to represent them.
- Respects individual rights, laws and sensible economic procedure, with strict regard to consequences
- As long as the people are vigilant, and make sure there elected officials are limited by the Constitution, it results in liberty, justice, contentment, and progress
- The government is restricted, and the people are free to create as long as they do not harm another person other than themselves
- Federalist Papers James Madison: “The first question that offers itself is, whether the general form of the government be strictly republican. It is evident that no other form would be reconcilable with the genius of the people of America: with the fundamental principles of the revolution; or with that honorable determination which animated every votary of freedom, to rest all our political experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government. If the plan of the convention, therefore, be found to depart from the republican character, its advocates must abandon it as no longer defensible.”
- Justice Joseph Story: “This Constitution is truly republican, and forms a splendid era in the history of man.
- KrisAnne Hall is a Constitutional Attorney. In the highly rated video at the following link she explains more about the American form of government. Non Compliant Movie
We do ourselves, our children and one another a disservice if we do not point out that the U.S. is not a democracy, and never has been. The book, A Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of the United States: Containing a Brief Commentary on Every Clause, Explaining the True Nature, Reasons, and … Designed for the Use of School Libraries and… Is an excellent resource for teaching, and learning about our true history, and the U.S. Constitution.
As you can see, in a Republic, Egyptians would not be in a position in which they find themselves protesting a government for higher wages. Instead, they would first protest for a Constitutionally limited government…a government that would not have that power over them in the first place.
In a Republic, teachers would not be working for the government, but for a free enterprise run by the parents of the children they teach .
The Book JR mentions in his comment below is: Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st CenturyU.S. Politics Books)
Thanks goes to both of these gentlemen for improving this post.
One can read more about why definition changes have taken place at this link: The Constitution And The Welfare Clause
I just finished watching a video with Attorney General Willam Barr using the term democratic republic to describe US Form of Government . It is sad when the Attorney General of the United States does not know what form of government he represents. Mr . Barr the United States of America is a Constitutional Republic with laws . No where in the US Constitution do you find the word DEMOCRACY
We The People have a US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Robert who is a SOCIALIST ruling on what the US Constitution says. or does not say ! Chief Justice Robert ignored US Constitutional law Article ll Section 1 Clause 5 January 2009 and again January 2013 all because of the perceived race of one Barry Soetoro aka barack hussein obama .