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Republic V. Democracy

“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.”

So much is spoken today about the spread of democracy and how truly democratic countries are the saving grace in this new age of political enlightenment.  After the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 18, 1787, a woman by the name of Mrs. Powel asked Dr. Benjamin Franklin what kind of government we would have. His response to her was, “a Republic, if you can keep it”.  Our founders knew that only by vigilant watch of the citizenry could a Republic be maintained. If left alone and democracy were to gain a foothold, it would take a rebellion to restore the rightful government.  There is a distinct difference between a democracy and a democratic process.  A democracy is nothing more than majority, or mob rule; and is a form of government our founders did not accept.  The democratic process is the means by which our forefathers chose for the selection of our representatives, nothing more.

In fact, and in operation, republics and democracies are antithetic to each other.  Republics operate under the rule of law, democracies rule under the operation of law (mob rule).  James Madison said “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 death.”