10thzodiac
07-30-07, 11:42 AM
A republic is a government in which a restricted group of citizens form a political unit, usually under the auspice of a charter, which directs them to elect representatives who will govern the state. Republics, by their very nature, tend to be free polities, not because they are elected by the citizens of the polity, but because they are bound by charters, which limit the responsibilities and powers of the state. The fact that people vote for representatives has nothing to do with making anything free. The logical consistency and rationality of the charter, as well as the willingness of the people to live by it, is what keeps people free.
A democracy is government by the majority. There is still a restricted group of citizens in a democracy, but this group rules directly and personally runs the state. The group may delegate specific tasks to individuals, such as generalships and governorships, but there is no question that the ruling force in a democracy is not a charter (if there even is a charter), but the vote of the majority. Democracies are free only if the people know what freedom is and are consistent in their application of it. If they don't know this, or more appropriately, if a majority of the people don't know this, then a democracy could be just as tyrannical as the worst dictator.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch, Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" ~ Benjamin Franklin
BTW, America is a Republic not a Democracy http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/11.gif
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http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/10thzodiac/imnotfrightenedofterrorism3.jpg
A democracy is government by the majority. There is still a restricted group of citizens in a democracy, but this group rules directly and personally runs the state. The group may delegate specific tasks to individuals, such as generalships and governorships, but there is no question that the ruling force in a democracy is not a charter (if there even is a charter), but the vote of the majority. Democracies are free only if the people know what freedom is and are consistent in their application of it. If they don't know this, or more appropriately, if a majority of the people don't know this, then a democracy could be just as tyrannical as the worst dictator.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch, Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" ~ Benjamin Franklin
BTW, America is a Republic not a Democracy http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/11.gif
<!--graemlin::)-->
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s143/10thzodiac/imnotfrightenedofterrorism3.jpg