sapphi_snake said:
Kasz216 said:
sapphi_snake said:
Kantor said:
sapphi_snake said:
Vertigo-X said:
*facepalms*
Maybe that guy in the end doesn't realize it, but there is a distinct line between a Republic, which is what the US is, and a Democracy. |
*facepalm*
You're another one of those people who has no ideea what those two terms mean (and that they're not mutually exclusive, as they refer to different aspects of a state).
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A democracy gives full control of the country and its laws and policy to the majority.
A republic guarantees certain fundamental rights regardless of the opinion of the majority.
The USA is a republic.
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*facepalm*
Another one.
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He's right though...
The founding fathers for example SPECIFICALLY chose to have a Republic over a Democracy... and wrote actural reasoning for it.
For example, James Madison.
"There are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or some illicit advantage, or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be most ready to lament and condemn. In these critical moments, how salutary will be the interference of some temperate and respectable body of citizens, in order to check the misguided career and to suspend the blow meditated by the people against themselves, until reason, justice and truth can regain their authority over the public mind."
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They specifically chose to have a republic over a monarchy (for obvious reasons). All states are either republics or monarchies. 'Democracy' is not part of this word group. I think the issue here is a problem of semantics. When I say 'democracy', I mean liberal democracy (and all that it entails), which is what the US is (and most states from Europe and the Americas are).
Your founding fathers didn't seem to trust the people they wanted to lead to independence very much though (as seen by your electorate process), but I don't think you'd argue that they were supporting forming a totalitarian state, no? (since that's the only alternative to a democracy).
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Actually that was part of his writing on a letter as to why they were going to choose a Republic over a Democracy... basically to prevent "Tyranny of the Majority."
Whether to be a Republic or a Democracy was actually quite a point of contention between the founding fathers.
If you need a direct quote mentioning both as different... again i'll use James Madison from the same long essay.
"Hence, it clearly appears, that the same advantage which a republic has over a democracy, in controlling the effects of faction, is enjoyed by a large over a small republic, -- is enjoyed by the Union over the States composing it."
