Democracy vs Republic -- differentiating between the two

[Poor Richard Saunders]

It was a different world back then, Richard...

Gosh, you mean things change like the meaning of words?

Wrong again, Richard. The USA is a republic. The founders were heavily influenced by the government of ancient Rome, not ancient Athens. The US Constitution specifically guarantees a REPUBLICAN form of government.

Of course the US is a republic but you continue to make the stupid argument that a tree can't also be an oak.

Let me put it in terms you might understand. A person can be a human and a woman. Just because they are woman doesn't mean the are not a human. A woman is a female human like the US is a representative democracy. A woman is a human female like the US is a democratic republic.

It isn't a Democracy at all.

200 years of history say it is a democracy. Just like that same history refers to western democracies in Europe. You can pull your pedantic shit all you want it doesn't change history. Countries where the people vote to elect a government are democracies because they are a recognized form of democracy. Only idiot cult members like you want to deny history and the actual meaning of words.

Yes.

Nope. In the US, the people are the source of the government's authority, but they elect representatives to exercise that authority in accordance with a constitution. That's a republic. In a democracy, the people exercise that authority themselves in a "mob rule" fashion (no constitution).

You continue to argue that democracy and republic are mutually exclusive when they are not.

You've provided nothing authoritative. The authority here is the formation of the governments themselves, namely in ancient Rome (republic) and ancient Athens (democracy). The etymology of the words is also an authority: republic (public affair) -- democracy (people rule).

OMFG. I provide an actual dictionary definition and then you claim I provided nothing authoritative. Clearly you are in a cult because you refuse to accept anything authoritative Etymology is how a word came to mean what it currently means. The current definition is this -

1 : government by the people : rule of the majority
: such as

a : a form of government in which the people elect representatives to make decisions, policies, laws, etc. according to law

This is your issue, not mine.

Here, you are attempting to rewrite history.

It is you that is rewriting history as you deny the almost 200 years where the US has been referred to as a democracy.

The world must be made safe for democracy. Woodrow Wilson - 1917

The ship of Democracy, which has weathered all storms, may sink through the mutiny of those aboard. Grover Cleveland - 1894

"public affair" and "people rule" are two different things, as already described.

Your cult behavior is only one thing but it often repeats itself.

 

[gfm7175]

Give it a break, g...or Mr. M, if you prefer.

Either or is fine. Some like to say gfm for short.

America is, at least for now, A DEMOCRACY.

The USA has never been a democracy.

America is, at least for now, A REPUBLIC.

The USA has always been a republic.

If you are trying to show that you are smarter than the rest of us by highlighting a difference between the two...don't bother.

I'm just providing the history and etymology for anyone who is interested and willing to accept it as authoritative.

It won't work.

I realize that it won't work on you. You reject both history and etymology.

You are MAGA...

MAGA isn't a person.

which means you are of very limited intellect.

 

[Ross Dolan]

Either or is fine. Some like to say gfm for short.

The USA has never been a democracy.

The USA has always been a republic.

I'm just providing the history and etymology for anyone who is interested and willing to accept it as authoritative.

I realize that it won't work on you. You reject both history and etymology.

MAGA isn't a person.

Actually, you may have a point. Please read the AI suggestions for the question, "Is America a Democracy?" Pay special attention to the last bit, starting with, "Decline in democratic health"...which is why I say that you may have a point.

The United States is considered both a democracy and a republic, which are not mutually exclusive terms. A more precise description is a constitutional federal republic working under principles of democracy.
Here is a breakdown of what that means:

• Constitutional: The government is based on the U.S. Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land. It defines the government's structure and imposes limits on its power to protect individual rights.
• Federal: Power is divided between a national federal government and 50 state governments.
• Republic: The people hold the power, but they elect representatives to make policy and administer the government on their behalf. In contrast, a pure direct democracy would have every citizen vote on every law.
• Democratic principles: The system is democratic because its power is derived from the people and exercised through popular sovereignty. Over time, the U.S. has expanded democratic elements by granting voting rights to more of its citizens through constitutional amendments.

Decline in democratic health
While the U.S. has long been considered a beacon of democracy, its democratic health has declined in recent years according to several expert analyses.

• International ratings: Since 2016, the U.S. has been recognized as a "flawed democracy" by The Economist's Democracy Index, citing increased political polarization and issues with the functioning of the government.

 

[gfm7175]

Of course the US is a republic

Right, so are we done here?

but you continue to make the stupid argument that a tree can't also be an oak.

No, I'm making the logical argument that a maple can't be an oak.
A republic and a democracy are both "trees", but they are different types of "trees" (maple vs oak).

Let me put it in terms you might understand. A person can be a human and a woman. Just because they are woman doesn't mean the are not a human. A woman is a female human like the US is a representative democracy. A woman is a human female like the US is a democratic republic.

Incorrect. See above.

200 years of history say it is a democracy.

Nope. The word that you're looking for is republic.

Just like that same history refers to western democracies in Europe. You can pull your pedantic shit all you want it doesn't change history. Countries where the people vote to elect a government are democracies because they are a recognized form of democracy. Only idiot cult members like you want to deny history and the actual meaning of words.

You continue to argue that democracy and republic are mutually exclusive when they are not.

They are mutually exclusive, as shown in the OP and elsewhere.

OMFG. I provide an actual dictionary definition and then you claim I provided nothing authoritative.

Dictionaries are not an authoritative source. You continue to deny history and etymology.

Clearly you are in a cult because you refuse to accept anything authoritative

This is YOUR issue, not mine.

Etymology is how a word came to mean what it currently means.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words.

 

[gfm7175]

Actually, you may have a point. Please read the AI suggestions for the question, "Is America a Democracy?" Pay special attention to the last bit, starting with, "Decline in democratic health"...which is why I say that you may have a point.

The United States is considered both a democracy and a republic, which are not mutually exclusive terms. A more precise description is a constitutional federal republic working under principles of democracy.
Here is a breakdown of what that means:

• Constitutional: The government is based on the U.S. Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land. It defines the government's structure and imposes limits on its power to protect individual rights.
• Federal: Power is divided between a national federal government and 50 state governments.
• Republic: The people hold the power, but they elect representatives to make policy and administer the government on their behalf. In contrast, a pure direct democracy would have every citizen vote on every law.
• Democratic principles: The system is democratic because its power is derived from the people and exercised through popular sovereignty. Over time, the U.S. has expanded democratic elements by granting voting rights to more of its citizens through constitutional amendments.

Decline in democratic health
While the U.S. has long been considered a beacon of democracy, its democratic health has declined in recent years according to several expert analyses.

• International ratings: Since 2016, the U.S. has been recognized as a "flawed democracy" by The Economist's Democracy Index, citing increased political polarization and issues with the functioning of the government.

"Democratic health"?! Now THAT'S a new one that I haven't seen before. Onto the Lispy Leftist List it goes!

 

[Ross Dolan]

"Democratic health"?! Now THAT'S a new one that I haven't seen before. Onto the Lispy Leftist List it goes!

Yeah...the health of a democracy can be harmed by having someone like Trump as its leader...and MAGA people (like you) to support him.

Are you having trouble understanding that?

 

[Poor Richard Saunders]

Etymology is the study of the origin of words.

etymology /ĕt″ə-mŏl′ə-jē/

noun​

1. The origin and historical development of a linguistic form as shown by determining its basic elements, earliest known use, and changes in form and meaning, tracing its transmission from one language to another, identifying its cognates in other languages, and reconstructing its ancestral form where possible.

I guess you are so deep in the cult you can't read or understand complete sentences.

 

[Hume]

Franklin was not asked if we were a democracy. He was asked if we are a republic or a monarchy. We are not a monarchy.

Yes, that is what I said.

 

[gfm7175]

etymology /ĕt″ə-mŏl′ə-jē/

noun​

1. The origin and historical development of a linguistic form as shown by determining its basic elements, earliest known use, and changes in form and meaning, tracing its transmission from one language to another, identifying its cognates in other languages, and reconstructing its ancestral form where possible.

I guess you are so deep in the cult you can't read or understand complete sentences.

Poor Richard......

 

[AProudLefty]

Poor @gfm7175, so desperate to be correct.

Do Americans vote for their representatives? Yes, so it is a form of democracy.

 

[Hume]

Do Americans vote for their representatives? Yes, so it is a form of democracy.

Yes. Something every child in grade school is expected to know.