By Carlos Miller
On this Fourth of July, while most of you will be taking it easy, I will be working my weekend gig at NBCMiami - not that I am complaining.
And while we celebrate freedom and democracy, we should also understand that we are not technically a democracy, but a republic.
The above video does a good job on explaining the differences.
The one part that struck me is how in a democracy, a mob of cowboys who chase down a single horseman for some alleged crimes will be able to hang him instantly by a vote of the majority.
In a republic, this mob would be required to take the lone suspect back to town where he would be entitled to a fair trial.
Popularity: 1% [?]
12 responses so far ↓
1 Ricky Rodriguez // Jul 4, 2009 at 12:51 AM
Awesome !
Long Live the Republic.
2 yoshi // Jul 4, 2009 at 1:14 AM
Thats an awfully simplistic view. We are actually a combination of the two. We are not a republic but not a democracy. We have a balance of power between federal, state, and local which all have different characteristics.
And your last sentence is so blindly naive I really don’t know what to say. Yes I do – disappointment comes to mind.
3 Jay R. // Jul 4, 2009 at 1:21 AM
We are typically known as a “Democratic Republic”.
“Will of the whoever-happens-to-be-present masses” isn’t democracy, and I think that your example is, as yoshi said, incredibly simplistic and inaccurate.
4 Scott Chamness // Jul 4, 2009 at 6:01 AM
I’m afraid I happen to agree.
A republic is a form of government where we elect our officials to make our decisions for us. A democracy is one where all of the people vote on the decisions.
Ergo, the US is both. We vote for government officials, but also on referendums.
5 Catinthewall // Jul 4, 2009 at 6:06 AM
More accurately, the mob could only hang him if the mob consisted of a majority of the citizens of said democracy.
In a republic, the mob could hang him if the mob consisted of a majority of the elected and appointed officials.
6 MillerTime // Jul 4, 2009 at 9:24 AM
While Carlos’ explanation is limited, and at times a recitation of excerpts, I do think this would be a useful tool for children learning civics.
7 Ariel // Jul 4, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Catinthewall #5,
But only after due process and exhausting all appeals.
8 Carlos Miller // Jul 4, 2009 at 11:40 PM
I should have known better than to post a simple video with a basic explanation as a way to avoid a heavily researched post on a Friday night.
Remember, I wake up early on Saturday to go my NBCMiami gig.
But if you want to fully expand on the differences between a democracy and a republican, then be my guest.
9 Robert Watt // Jul 5, 2009 at 1:01 AM
That is a great video & a democracy is mob rule we have a government that is limited by the constitution as our elected reps r supposed to be! And there r no “different charistics” when it comes to gov officials. A republic is a nation of legal equals, as our high court SAYS WE ARE,& if America is a democracy why do the crooks in dc work for such a small % of Americans?
10 Robert Watt // Jul 5, 2009 at 1:17 AM
The Army of the US used to tell its recruits in their “Why We Fight” manual that a democracy is a “mob rules from of government where the right of the many can take away the rights of the few & we live in a REPUBLIC” they quit informing them of this around WW1, but hiding the truth dosent change it yoshi!
11 NotKnowingMuch // Jul 5, 2009 at 7:22 PM
Is a Republic not bound by a document that defines the laws that govern the government; that document being what makes the government a Monarchy, Oligarchy, Democracy, etc? Are we not a Democratic Republic?
I think that our Democratic elected servants care not what said document says. When I vote do I hire hit-men to prey on others? I don’t want to pay $ or anything for other good people to be hurt.
12 Robert Watt // Jul 5, 2009 at 10:24 PM
I come to this site often & hardly ever post but lies that r leading to tyrnary really upset me so art 4 sec 4 U S Constitution “The U S shall guerantee every state in the Union a REPUBLICAN form of government…” & yes our founding fathers knew we used some democratic principals. Now how about reading the preamble to the Bill of Rights, please!
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