I think a republic does not have to be a democracy. A democracy on the other hand pretty much has to be a republic if it is the government of much more than a town. The way we elect the president in the US is diffinately not a democratic process.
graywolf http://www.graywolfphoto.com "Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof" -----------------------------------
Tom C wrote:
Bob W wrote:
These definitions seem rather narrow to me, and are perhaps more specific to
the situation in the USA than to the rest of the world. 'Republic' seems to
have several definitions, of which the most common is 'not a monarchy'.
Certainly the definition you have given does not sit well with some other
states that are/were undoubtedly republics.
Also, the site you've quoted, as well as Collin's email, seem to suggest
that a republic and a democracy are mutually exclusive. I don't
know how well this idea would sit with the people of Ireland, or France, or
Germany or the many other democratic republics. So again I think the
definitions are too narrow and parochial.
republic
1 a (1) : a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and who in modern times is usually a president (2) : a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government b (1) : a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law (2) : a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government
democracy
1 a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
I find the distinction be almost meaningless... esoteric may be the right word. Obviously if one goes strictly by definition 1 a (1) of republic, a republic does not have to be a democracy. If one goes by definition 1 b (1) of republic their essentially the same.
In practice, if elected officials do just about whatever they want once in office, irregardless of the will of the majority of people, it's hard to see how it's a true democracy. An, allowed by the people, plutocracy is what we have here, since one must attain a significant degree of wealth to get noticed, get on a ballot, etc.
Both major political parties are whorses of a different color, but they're both horses. It's one of the reasons why no noticeable improvement occurs.
Tom C.
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