What is a republic? I have read various definitions of what a republic is. Some of the definitions had added descriptions I had never heard before. These came from right wing members...

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

I have read various definitions of what a republic is. Some of the definitions had added descriptions I had never heard before. These came from right wing members of OPP posters. It seems to me that they wanted to write that a republican and democratic form of government are two different things. I looked up the definition from two separate sources and they pretty much said the same thing.
One poster said that he didn't mind it if this country no longer remained a democracy, as long as it remained a republic. I guess he associated the word " republic " with the Republican Party, and the word " democracy " with the Democratic Party.
The definition of the word republic is defined as " A country with a form of government in which there is no king, or queen, the power of government, law making etc. being given to one or more elected representatives (eg a president , members of parliament etc. ) The dictionary gave pretty much the same definition, but worded slightly differently. According to these two definitions, a republic is a form of democracy, since both definitions say that a republic has elected officials.
I hope we can all agree that this definition is correct, and the loss of a republican, democratic would be a tragedy.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

saltwind 78 wrote:

I have read various definitions of what a republic... (show quote)

What a completely abysmal and mediocre effort for a thread!!! Thank heavens you are not in school. The chances of passing grade would be zero.

https://legaldictionary.net/republic/

Republic
October 10, 2016 by: Content Team

A republic is a form of government in which the citizens elect representatives, who make all of the decisions for them. This is different from a democracy, in which the people make their own decisions on important issues by voting. This form of government does not have a monarch, but an elected leader. The first republic may have originated in Carthage, North Africa. To explore this concept, consider the following republic definition.

Noun

A form of government in which the power is held by the people, and exercised by representatives that they choose to e
A nation that is governed by elected representatives, and an elected ruler.
Origin

1595-1605 French république

What is a Republic

A republic is a system of government wherein the people elect representatives to make their decisions for them, such as Congress in the United States. This type of government does not have a king or queen, or any inherited monarchy. Rather, the leader of a republic is elected, as is the U.S. President. This is the different from a democracy, which is a system of government wherein people make their own decisions on important issues by voting for or against them.

A republic is the exact opposite of a monarchy, in which one person rises to, or inherits power to rule over the nation. The definition of “people,” however, insofar as who is granted the opportunity to vote has been scrutinized throughout the course of history. Women and minorities, for instance, have been historically denied the right to vote in republican societies. The term “republic” can also refer to any form of government not headed up by a monarch.

History of the Republic

The first known republic may have been established in Carthage in North Africa. Carthage’s republic actually started with two kings who were elected by the senate, which was composed of several hundred wealthy men who served the entirety of their lives. The operation of the government slowly evolved until the senators began electing generals to command the nation’s armies, leaving the kings to run domestic affairs.

Eventually, the people of Carthage began electing leaders known as “shopfets” to run the city. These men were also chosen from the wealthiest of families. Some time later, the citizens became even more involved in the operation of their government, voting on which generals they wanted to have seats in the Senate. Additionally, a group of over 100 judges served as an early form of checks and balances, in that they were positioned to supervise the generals and shopfets, to ensure they remained honest in their dealings.

The history of the republic is similar to that of modern republics, in that they vary widely in both their ideals and their configuration. In classical and medieval Europe, many states were ruled by kings and emperors. Examples of republics such as these had a democratic angle to them, even if they were not considered equal to classical democracies like those which had existed in Athens at the time. More republics began popping up in the Western world beginning in the late 18th century, eventually overtaking absolute monarchy, which was Europe’s most popular system of government, entirely.

Classical Republic

The republic, as it is known in modern times, is entirely different from any of the states in the classical world. There are states from the classical world that are still considered classical republics today, such as Athens and Sparta. Ultimately, the classical republics were either seized by empires, or turned into empires themselves. An example of a republic to which this occurred, was the Roman Republic. The Republic became the Roman Empire after it expanded to the point that it was able to conquer other classical republics in the Mediterranean.

Mercantile Republic Examples

Mercantile republics were smaller states in which the merchant class, which favored a republican style government, became dominant during the late Middle Ages. These states were the wealthier states, despite being small, and they specialized in trade. Examples of republics considered to be mercantile republics, include the city-states of the Italian peninsula, and the Hanseatic League of the Baltic trade route. By the time the Renaissance rolled around, Europe was essentially divided into both monarch states and republic states.

Interestingly, despite the fact that these mercantile republics were significantly wealthier, they were virtually powerless in feudal systems run by rural land owners. For this reason, the mercantile republics began to fight for their own privileges across Europe. The villages of Alpine Switzerland remained free from control by these feudal barons, primarily because they were difficult to access.

Italy had the highest population in Europe at that time, but it also had the weakest central government in all of Europe. The Italian city-states that were not under feudal control were able to expand, and the republics of Venice and Genoa became two of the country’s most powerful city-states insofar as trading and naval power.

Calvinist Republic

Theologian John Calvin was responsible for the Calvinist republic form of government. As head of the Calvinist branch of Protestantism, Calvin preached that the faithful were responsible for overthrowing godless monarchs. Calvinist theology really took off in the Swiss Confederacy, which ended up becoming not only a Calvinist republic, but also one of the biggest and most powerful of all of the medieval republics.

While Calvin did not call for the end of monarchy as a whole, Calvinism was a catalyst influencing republican revolts in England and the Netherlands, among other places. English writers like John Milton and James Harrington called for citizens to reject monarchy and embrace a more republican form of government.

Liberal Republic

The Liberal republic began evolving in response to those liberal and republican writers of the Calvinist republic era. Interestingly, those early republican uprisings ran alongside an up rise in power among the remaining monarchs of early modern Europe. Still, popular writers of the time pushed a philosophy of liberalism, based on ideals of liberty and equality.

Eventually, republican ideas began to spread, particularly in Asia after the United States began to have more of an influence on East Asia in the latter part of the 19th century. This, coupled with the Confucian-inspired political philosophy, which argued in favor of rejecting an unjust government, led to the creation of the liberal republic. America embraced these philosophies, as the Founding Fathers used them to author the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution – which is called the “Bill of Rights.”

Decolonization

After World War II, most of the surviving European colonies were able to gain their independence and become republics. At the time, the two most powerful colonies were those of France and the United Kingdom. While republican France encouraged the establishment of republics in its former colonies, the United Kingdom tried to return to the practice it had followed for its earlier settler colonies: creating independent Commonwealth realms that were all still connected by the same monarchy.

Most of the settler colonies and smaller states within the Caribbean kept this system, but it was ultimately rejected by Africa and Asia. These continents had recently become independent republics, and had already made revisions to their constitutions in doing so. This resulted in their decolonization from the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom went a different route in the Middle East, and placing local monarchies in such areas as Iraq, Yemen, and Kuwait. However, over time revolutions and coups have resulted in decolonization, and the ultimate overthrow of several monarchs, which were then replaced with republics. To this day, many monarchies still exist, and the Middle East is the only area in the world where many large states continue to be ruled by absolute monarchies.

The Founding Fathers and the Republic

When the Founding Fathers were brainstorming the kind of government they wanted for America, they studied the histories of other nations to determine what worked and what didn’t. Of particular interest to them was the Roman Republic’s government, which had been around a full 2,000 years before the American revolution. The Founding Fathers decided that a republican government was the best possible government for America.

The decision to create a republic was largely influenced by the ideas that the Roman Republic incorporated into its rule. The most attractive principles to which the Founding Fathers were drawn include:

Government power is held by the people.
The people elect the leaders they want representing them and, in doing so, invest their power in their representatives.
The representatives are tasked with helping every citizen in the country they serve, not a select few.
Some of the ideals that guided the Founding Fathers’ choice for a republic included:

Fairness – The Founders believed that the elected representatives should create fair laws and, if they did not, they could be easily replaced by other representatives who would.
Common Welfare – The laws that those representatives created would benefit everyone in the country, rather than one person in particular, or even a select few.
Freedom and Prosperity – The Founders liked the idea of their people being afforded the freedom to live prosperous lives.
Related Legal Terms and Issues

Absolute monarchy – A monarch wherein the ruler has absolute and unrestricted power over the citizens of that particular country.
Founding Fathers – Those men who created the United States government and drafted its Constitution.
Monarchy – A form of government that is run by a monarch.

son of witless

saltwind 78 wrote:

I have read various definitions of what a republic... (show quote)

Are you going anywhere with this line of questioning ? I mean, is there a point ? Any point ?

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

AuntiE wrote:

What a completely abysmal and mediocre effort for a thread!!! Thank heavens you are not in school. The chances of passing grade would be zero.

https://legaldictionary.net/republic/

Republic
October 10, 2016 by: Content Team

A republic is a form of government in which the citizens elect representatives, who make all of the decisions for them. This is different from a democracy, in which the people make their own decisions on important issues by voting. This form of government does not have a monarch, but an elected leader. The first republic may have originated in Carthage, North Africa. To explore this concept, consider the following republic definition.

Noun

A form of government in which the power is held by the people, and exercised by representatives that they choose to e
A nation that is governed by elected representatives, and an elected ruler.
Origin

1595-1605 French république

What is a Republic

A republic is a system of government wherein the people elect representatives to make their decisions for them, such as Congress in the United States. This type of government does not have a king or queen, or any inherited monarchy. Rather, the leader of a republic is elected, as is the U.S. President. This is the different from a democracy, which is a system of government wherein people make their own decisions on important issues by voting for or against them.

A republic is the exact opposite of a monarchy, in which one person rises to, or inherits power to rule over the nation. The definition of “people,” however, insofar as who is granted the opportunity to vote has been scrutinized throughout the course of history. Women and minorities, for instance, have been historically denied the right to vote in republican societies. The term “republic” can also refer to any form of government not headed up by a monarch.

History of the Republic

The first known republic may have been established in Carthage in North Africa. Carthage’s republic actually started with two kings who were elected by the senate, which was composed of several hundred wealthy men who served the entirety of their lives. The operation of the government slowly evolved until the senators began electing generals to command the nation’s armies, leaving the kings to run domestic affairs.

Eventually, the people of Carthage began electing leaders known as “shopfets” to run the city. These men were also chosen from the wealthiest of families. Some time later, the citizens became even more involved in the operation of their government, voting on which generals they wanted to have seats in the Senate. Additionally, a group of over 100 judges served as an early form of checks and balances, in that they were positioned to supervise the generals and shopfets, to ensure they remained honest in their dealings.

The history of the republic is similar to that of modern republics, in that they vary widely in both their ideals and their configuration. In classical and medieval Europe, many states were ruled by kings and emperors. Examples of republics such as these had a democratic angle to them, even if they were not considered equal to classical democracies like those which had existed in Athens at the time. More republics began popping up in the Western world beginning in the late 18th century, eventually overtaking absolute monarchy, which was Europe’s most popular system of government, entirely.

Classical Republic

The republic, as it is known in modern times, is entirely different from any of the states in the classical world. There are states from the classical world that are still considered classical republics today, such as Athens and Sparta. Ultimately, the classical republics were either seized by empires, or turned into empires themselves. An example of a republic to which this occurred, was the Roman Republic. The Republic became the Roman Empire after it expanded to the point that it was able to conquer other classical republics in the Mediterranean.

Mercantile Republic Examples

Mercantile republics were smaller states in which the merchant class, which favored a republican style government, became dominant during the late Middle Ages. These states were the wealthier states, despite being small, and they specialized in trade. Examples of republics considered to be mercantile republics, include the city-states of the Italian peninsula, and the Hanseatic League of the Baltic trade route. By the time the Renaissance rolled around, Europe was essentially divided into both monarch states and republic states.

Interestingly, despite the fact that these mercantile republics were significantly wealthier, they were virtually powerless in feudal systems run by rural land owners. For this reason, the mercantile republics began to fight for their own privileges across Europe. The villages of Alpine Switzerland remained free from control by these feudal barons, primarily because they were difficult to access.

Italy had the highest population in Europe at that time, but it also had the weakest central government in all of Europe. The Italian city-states that were not under feudal control were able to expand, and the republics of Venice and Genoa became two of the country’s most powerful city-states insofar as trading and naval power.

Calvinist Republic

Theologian John Calvin was responsible for the Calvinist republic form of government. As head of the Calvinist branch of Protestantism, Calvin preached that the faithful were responsible for overthrowing godless monarchs. Calvinist theology really took off in the Swiss Confederacy, which ended up becoming not only a Calvinist republic, but also one of the biggest and most powerful of all of the medieval republics.

While Calvin did not call for the end of monarchy as a whole, Calvinism was a catalyst influencing republican revolts in England and the Netherlands, among other places. English writers like John Milton and James Harrington called for citizens to reject monarchy and embrace a more republican form of government.

Liberal Republic

The Liberal republic began evolving in response to those liberal and republican writers of the Calvinist republic era. Interestingly, those early republican uprisings ran alongside an up rise in power among the remaining monarchs of early modern Europe. Still, popular writers of the time pushed a philosophy of liberalism, based on ideals of liberty and equality.

Eventually, republican ideas began to spread, particularly in Asia after the United States began to have more of an influence on East Asia in the latter part of the 19th century. This, coupled with the Confucian-inspired political philosophy, which argued in favor of rejecting an unjust government, led to the creation of the liberal republic. America embraced these philosophies, as the Founding Fathers used them to author the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution – which is called the “Bill of Rights.”

Decolonization

After World War II, most of the surviving European colonies were able to gain their independence and become republics. At the time, the two most powerful colonies were those of France and the United Kingdom. While republican France encouraged the establishment of republics in its former colonies, the United Kingdom tried to return to the practice it had followed for its earlier settler colonies: creating independent Commonwealth realms that were all still connected by the same monarchy.

Most of the settler colonies and smaller states within the Caribbean kept this system, but it was ultimately rejected by Africa and Asia. These continents had recently become independent republics, and had already made revisions to their constitutions in doing so. This resulted in their decolonization from the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom went a different route in the Middle East, and placing local monarchies in such areas as Iraq, Yemen, and Kuwait. However, over time revolutions and coups have resulted in decolonization, and the ultimate overthrow of several monarchs, which were then replaced with republics. To this day, many monarchies still exist, and the Middle East is the only area in the world where many large states continue to be ruled by absolute monarchies.

The Founding Fathers and the Republic

When the Founding Fathers were brainstorming the kind of government they wanted for America, they studied the histories of other nations to determine what worked and what didn’t. Of particular interest to them was the Roman Republic’s government, which had been around a full 2,000 years before the American revolution. The Founding Fathers decided that a republican government was the best possible government for America.

The decision to create a republic was largely influenced by the ideas that the Roman Republic incorporated into its rule. The most attractive principles to which the Founding Fathers were drawn include:

Government power is held by the people.
The people elect the leaders they want representing them and, in doing so, invest their power in their representatives.
The representatives are tasked with helping every citizen in the country they serve, not a select few.
Some of the ideals that guided the Founding Fathers’ choice for a republic included:

Fairness – The Founders believed that the elected representatives should create fair laws and, if they did not, they could be easily replaced by other representatives who would.
Common Welfare – The laws that those representatives created would benefit everyone in the country, rather than one person in particular, or even a select few.
Freedom and Prosperity – The Founders liked the idea of their people being afforded the freedom to live prosperous lives.
Related Legal Terms and Issues

Absolute monarchy – A monarch wherein the ruler has absolute and unrestricted power over the citizens of that particular country.
Founding Fathers – Those men who created the United States government and drafted its Constitution.
Monarchy – A form of government that is run by a monarch.

What a completely abysmal and mediocre effort for ... (show quote)

Auntie, I majored in American history, and taught it for nearly thirty years. You are confusing pure democracy with representative democracy. There hasn't been a pure democracy since Ancient Greece. Even that country would not be considered a democracy today because only male citizens could vote on issues. The great majority of people living in Athens did not have the right to vote.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

saltwind 78 wrote:

Auntie, I majored in American history, and taught it for nearly thirty years. You are confusing pure democracy with representative democracy. There hasn't been a pure democracy since Ancient Greece. Even that country would not be considered a democracy today because only male citizens could vote on issues. The great majority of people living in Athens did not have the right to vote.

I did not use democracy in my two second search. I only used republic.

As someone who taught history, one would think you could provide a better origination for a thread on this topic.

https://www.foundingdefenders.org/articles/the-founding-fathers-and-their-constitutional-republic

The Republic is guaranteed to us by the United States Constitution, article IV, section 4.

It states:
“The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government...”

Elwood Loc: Florida

saltwind 78 wrote:

I have read various definitions of what a republic... (show quote)

Did you ever make it past high school? You sound like a real, idiot!

I can't believe that you were a teacher! Now we know where all the idiots on OPP came from!

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Elwood wrote:

Did you ever make it past high school? You sound like a real, idiot!

According to him, he taught history for 30 years. Further, he is from NY. We now have the answer for multiple questions regarding g NY’s lack of basic knowledge on the matter of our form of government.

Elwood Loc: Florida

AuntiE wrote:

According to him, he taught history for 30 years. Further, he is from NY. We now have the answer for multiple questions regarding g NY’s lack of basic knowledge on the matter of our form of government.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

AuntiE wrote:

What a completely abysmal and mediocre effort for a thread!!! Thank heavens you are not in school. The chances of passing grade would be zero.

https://legaldictionary.net/republic/

Republic
October 10, 2016 by: Content Team

A republic is a form of government in which the citizens elect representatives, who make all of the decisions for them. This is different from a democracy, in which the people make their own decisions on important issues by voting. This form of government does not have a monarch, but an elected leader. The first republic may have originated in Carthage, North Africa. To explore this concept, consider the following republic definition.

Noun

A form of government in which the power is held by the people, and exercised by representatives that they choose to e
A nation that is governed by elected representatives, and an elected ruler.
Origin

1595-1605 French république

What is a Republic

A republic is a system of government wherein the people elect representatives to make their decisions for them, such as Congress in the United States. This type of government does not have a king or queen, or any inherited monarchy. Rather, the leader of a republic is elected, as is the U.S. President. This is the different from a democracy, which is a system of government wherein people make their own decisions on important issues by voting for or against them.

A republic is the exact opposite of a monarchy, in which one person rises to, or inherits power to rule over the nation. The definition of “people,” however, insofar as who is granted the opportunity to vote has been scrutinized throughout the course of history. Women and minorities, for instance, have been historically denied the right to vote in republican societies. The term “republic” can also refer to any form of government not headed up by a monarch.

History of the Republic

The first known republic may have been established in Carthage in North Africa. Carthage’s republic actually started with two kings who were elected by the senate, which was composed of several hundred wealthy men who served the entirety of their lives. The operation of the government slowly evolved until the senators began electing generals to command the nation’s armies, leaving the kings to run domestic affairs.

Eventually, the people of Carthage began electing leaders known as “shopfets” to run the city. These men were also chosen from the wealthiest of families. Some time later, the citizens became even more involved in the operation of their government, voting on which generals they wanted to have seats in the Senate. Additionally, a group of over 100 judges served as an early form of checks and balances, in that they were positioned to supervise the generals and shopfets, to ensure they remained honest in their dealings.

The history of the republic is similar to that of modern republics, in that they vary widely in both their ideals and their configuration. In classical and medieval Europe, many states were ruled by kings and emperors. Examples of republics such as these had a democratic angle to them, even if they were not considered equal to classical democracies like those which had existed in Athens at the time. More republics began popping up in the Western world beginning in the late 18th century, eventually overtaking absolute monarchy, which was Europe’s most popular system of government, entirely.

Classical Republic

The republic, as it is known in modern times, is entirely different from any of the states in the classical world. There are states from the classical world that are still considered classical republics today, such as Athens and Sparta. Ultimately, the classical republics were either seized by empires, or turned into empires themselves. An example of a republic to which this occurred, was the Roman Republic. The Republic became the Roman Empire after it expanded to the point that it was able to conquer other classical republics in the Mediterranean.

Mercantile Republic Examples

Mercantile republics were smaller states in which the merchant class, which favored a republican style government, became dominant during the late Middle Ages. These states were the wealthier states, despite being small, and they specialized in trade. Examples of republics considered to be mercantile republics, include the city-states of the Italian peninsula, and the Hanseatic League of the Baltic trade route. By the time the Renaissance rolled around, Europe was essentially divided into both monarch states and republic states.

Interestingly, despite the fact that these mercantile republics were significantly wealthier, they were virtually powerless in feudal systems run by rural land owners. For this reason, the mercantile republics began to fight for their own privileges across Europe. The villages of Alpine Switzerland remained free from control by these feudal barons, primarily because they were difficult to access.

Italy had the highest population in Europe at that time, but it also had the weakest central government in all of Europe. The Italian city-states that were not under feudal control were able to expand, and the republics of Venice and Genoa became two of the country’s most powerful city-states insofar as trading and naval power.

Calvinist Republic

Theologian John Calvin was responsible for the Calvinist republic form of government. As head of the Calvinist branch of Protestantism, Calvin preached that the faithful were responsible for overthrowing godless monarchs. Calvinist theology really took off in the Swiss Confederacy, which ended up becoming not only a Calvinist republic, but also one of the biggest and most powerful of all of the medieval republics.

While Calvin did not call for the end of monarchy as a whole, Calvinism was a catalyst influencing republican revolts in England and the Netherlands, among other places. English writers like John Milton and James Harrington called for citizens to reject monarchy and embrace a more republican form of government.

Liberal Republic

The Liberal republic began evolving in response to those liberal and republican writers of the Calvinist republic era. Interestingly, those early republican uprisings ran alongside an up rise in power among the remaining monarchs of early modern Europe. Still, popular writers of the time pushed a philosophy of liberalism, based on ideals of liberty and equality.

Eventually, republican ideas began to spread, particularly in Asia after the United States began to have more of an influence on East Asia in the latter part of the 19th century. This, coupled with the Confucian-inspired political philosophy, which argued in favor of rejecting an unjust government, led to the creation of the liberal republic. America embraced these philosophies, as the Founding Fathers used them to author the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution – which is called the “Bill of Rights.”

Decolonization

After World War II, most of the surviving European colonies were able to gain their independence and become republics. At the time, the two most powerful colonies were those of France and the United Kingdom. While republican France encouraged the establishment of republics in its former colonies, the United Kingdom tried to return to the practice it had followed for its earlier settler colonies: creating independent Commonwealth realms that were all still connected by the same monarchy.

Most of the settler colonies and smaller states within the Caribbean kept this system, but it was ultimately rejected by Africa and Asia. These continents had recently become independent republics, and had already made revisions to their constitutions in doing so. This resulted in their decolonization from the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom went a different route in the Middle East, and placing local monarchies in such areas as Iraq, Yemen, and Kuwait. However, over time revolutions and coups have resulted in decolonization, and the ultimate overthrow of several monarchs, which were then replaced with republics. To this day, many monarchies still exist, and the Middle East is the only area in the world where many large states continue to be ruled by absolute monarchies.

The Founding Fathers and the Republic

When the Founding Fathers were brainstorming the kind of government they wanted for America, they studied the histories of other nations to determine what worked and what didn’t. Of particular interest to them was the Roman Republic’s government, which had been around a full 2,000 years before the American revolution. The Founding Fathers decided that a republican government was the best possible government for America.

The decision to create a republic was largely influenced by the ideas that the Roman Republic incorporated into its rule. The most attractive principles to which the Founding Fathers were drawn include:

Government power is held by the people.
The people elect the leaders they want representing them and, in doing so, invest their power in their representatives.
The representatives are tasked with helping every citizen in the country they serve, not a select few.
Some of the ideals that guided the Founding Fathers’ choice for a republic included:

Fairness – The Founders believed that the elected representatives should create fair laws and, if they did not, they could be easily replaced by other representatives who would.
Common Welfare – The laws that those representatives created would benefit everyone in the country, rather than one person in particular, or even a select few.
Freedom and Prosperity – The Founders liked the idea of their people being afforded the freedom to live prosperous lives.
Related Legal Terms and Issues

Absolute monarchy – A monarch wherein the ruler has absolute and unrestricted power over the citizens of that particular country.
Founding Fathers – Those men who created the United States government and drafted its Constitution.
Monarchy – A form of government that is run by a monarch.

What a completely abysmal and mediocre effort for ... (show quote)

I'll be much more succinct AuntiE:

A republic is a state in which the exercise of the sovereign power is lodged in representatives elected by the people.

A democracy is a form of government, in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of the people collectively, or in which the people exercise the powers of legislation. In modern usage, the people exercise the powers of sovereignty in person in a democracy or democratic state.

Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language ~ Copyright 1828

In other words, the United States is a republic, not a democracy.

Milosia2 Loc: Cleveland Ohio

Elwood wrote:

Did you ever make it past high school? You sound like a real, idiot!

I can't believe that you were a teacher! Now we know where all the idiots on OPP came from!

Jefferson called his first party
Democratic Republicans.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

Milosia2 wrote:

Jefferson called his first party
Democratic Republicans.

What's your point slick?

son of witless

Milosia2 wrote:

Jefferson called his first party
Democratic Republicans.

Good for you. You googled a factoid and now you are so proud of yourself. Put a star on your wrist and give yourself a taffy. Now ask yourself, is there a significance to what you discovered ?

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

AuntiE wrote:

What a completely abysmal and mediocre effort for a thread!!! Thank heavens you are not in school. The chances of passing grade would be zero.

https://legaldictionary.net/republic/

Republic
October 10, 2016 by: Content Team

A republic is a form of government in which the citizens elect representatives, who make all of the decisions for them. This is different from a democracy, in which the people make their own decisions on important issues by voting. This form of government does not have a monarch, but an elected leader. The first republic may have originated in Carthage, North Africa. To explore this concept, consider the following republic definition.

Noun

A form of government in which the power is held by the people, and exercised by representatives that they choose to e
A nation that is governed by elected representatives, and an elected ruler.
Origin

1595-1605 French république

What is a Republic

A republic is a system of government wherein the people elect representatives to make their decisions for them, such as Congress in the United States. This type of government does not have a king or queen, or any inherited monarchy. Rather, the leader of a republic is elected, as is the U.S. President. This is the different from a democracy, which is a system of government wherein people make their own decisions on important issues by voting for or against them.

A republic is the exact opposite of a monarchy, in which one person rises to, or inherits power to rule over the nation. The definition of “people,” however, insofar as who is granted the opportunity to vote has been scrutinized throughout the course of history. Women and minorities, for instance, have been historically denied the right to vote in republican societies. The term “republic” can also refer to any form of government not headed up by a monarch.

History of the Republic

The first known republic may have been established in Carthage in North Africa. Carthage’s republic actually started with two kings who were elected by the senate, which was composed of several hundred wealthy men who served the entirety of their lives. The operation of the government slowly evolved until the senators began electing generals to command the nation’s armies, leaving the kings to run domestic affairs.

Eventually, the people of Carthage began electing leaders known as “shopfets” to run the city. These men were also chosen from the wealthiest of families. Some time later, the citizens became even more involved in the operation of their government, voting on which generals they wanted to have seats in the Senate. Additionally, a group of over 100 judges served as an early form of checks and balances, in that they were positioned to supervise the generals and shopfets, to ensure they remained honest in their dealings.

The history of the republic is similar to that of modern republics, in that they vary widely in both their ideals and their configuration. In classical and medieval Europe, many states were ruled by kings and emperors. Examples of republics such as these had a democratic angle to them, even if they were not considered equal to classical democracies like those which had existed in Athens at the time. More republics began popping up in the Western world beginning in the late 18th century, eventually overtaking absolute monarchy, which was Europe’s most popular system of government, entirely.

Classical Republic

The republic, as it is known in modern times, is entirely different from any of the states in the classical world. There are states from the classical world that are still considered classical republics today, such as Athens and Sparta. Ultimately, the classical republics were either seized by empires, or turned into empires themselves. An example of a republic to which this occurred, was the Roman Republic. The Republic became the Roman Empire after it expanded to the point that it was able to conquer other classical republics in the Mediterranean.

Mercantile Republic Examples

Mercantile republics were smaller states in which the merchant class, which favored a republican style government, became dominant during the late Middle Ages. These states were the wealthier states, despite being small, and they specialized in trade. Examples of republics considered to be mercantile republics, include the city-states of the Italian peninsula, and the Hanseatic League of the Baltic trade route. By the time the Renaissance rolled around, Europe was essentially divided into both monarch states and republic states.

Interestingly, despite the fact that these mercantile republics were significantly wealthier, they were virtually powerless in feudal systems run by rural land owners. For this reason, the mercantile republics began to fight for their own privileges across Europe. The villages of Alpine Switzerland remained free from control by these feudal barons, primarily because they were difficult to access.

Italy had the highest population in Europe at that time, but it also had the weakest central government in all of Europe. The Italian city-states that were not under feudal control were able to expand, and the republics of Venice and Genoa became two of the country’s most powerful city-states insofar as trading and naval power.

Calvinist Republic

Theologian John Calvin was responsible for the Calvinist republic form of government. As head of the Calvinist branch of Protestantism, Calvin preached that the faithful were responsible for overthrowing godless monarchs. Calvinist theology really took off in the Swiss Confederacy, which ended up becoming not only a Calvinist republic, but also one of the biggest and most powerful of all of the medieval republics.

While Calvin did not call for the end of monarchy as a whole, Calvinism was a catalyst influencing republican revolts in England and the Netherlands, among other places. English writers like John Milton and James Harrington called for citizens to reject monarchy and embrace a more republican form of government.

Liberal Republic

The Liberal republic began evolving in response to those liberal and republican writers of the Calvinist republic era. Interestingly, those early republican uprisings ran alongside an up rise in power among the remaining monarchs of early modern Europe. Still, popular writers of the time pushed a philosophy of liberalism, based on ideals of liberty and equality.

Eventually, republican ideas began to spread, particularly in Asia after the United States began to have more of an influence on East Asia in the latter part of the 19th century. This, coupled with the Confucian-inspired political philosophy, which argued in favor of rejecting an unjust government, led to the creation of the liberal republic. America embraced these philosophies, as the Founding Fathers used them to author the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution – which is called the “Bill of Rights.”

Decolonization

After World War II, most of the surviving European colonies were able to gain their independence and become republics. At the time, the two most powerful colonies were those of France and the United Kingdom. While republican France encouraged the establishment of republics in its former colonies, the United Kingdom tried to return to the practice it had followed for its earlier settler colonies: creating independent Commonwealth realms that were all still connected by the same monarchy.

Most of the settler colonies and smaller states within the Caribbean kept this system, but it was ultimately rejected by Africa and Asia. These continents had recently become independent republics, and had already made revisions to their constitutions in doing so. This resulted in their decolonization from the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom went a different route in the Middle East, and placing local monarchies in such areas as Iraq, Yemen, and Kuwait. However, over time revolutions and coups have resulted in decolonization, and the ultimate overthrow of several monarchs, which were then replaced with republics. To this day, many monarchies still exist, and the Middle East is the only area in the world where many large states continue to be ruled by absolute monarchies.

The Founding Fathers and the Republic

When the Founding Fathers were brainstorming the kind of government they wanted for America, they studied the histories of other nations to determine what worked and what didn’t. Of particular interest to them was the Roman Republic’s government, which had been around a full 2,000 years before the American revolution. The Founding Fathers decided that a republican government was the best possible government for America.

The decision to create a republic was largely influenced by the ideas that the Roman Republic incorporated into its rule. The most attractive principles to which the Founding Fathers were drawn include:

Government power is held by the people.
The people elect the leaders they want representing them and, in doing so, invest their power in their representatives.
The representatives are tasked with helping every citizen in the country they serve, not a select few.
Some of the ideals that guided the Founding Fathers’ choice for a republic included:

Fairness – The Founders believed that the elected representatives should create fair laws and, if they did not, they could be easily replaced by other representatives who would.
Common Welfare – The laws that those representatives created would benefit everyone in the country, rather than one person in particular, or even a select few.
Freedom and Prosperity – The Founders liked the idea of their people being afforded the freedom to live prosperous lives.
Related Legal Terms and Issues

Absolute monarchy – A monarch wherein the ruler has absolute and unrestricted power over the citizens of that particular country.
Founding Fathers – Those men who created the United States government and drafted its Constitution.
Monarchy – A form of government that is run by a monarch.

What a completely abysmal and mediocre effort for ... (show quote)

It seems to me that your argument is with the search engine Bing, and Webster's. 11 New College Dictionary not me.

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Parky60 wrote:

I'll be much more succinct AuntiE: br br A republ... (show quote)

Auntie , The fact that the people elect the people in office makes it a democracy, and fact that there is no monarch makes it a republic.

saltwind 78 Loc: Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Elwood wrote:

Did you ever make it past high school? You sound like a real, idiot!

I can't believe that you were a teacher! Now we know where all the idiots on OPP came from!

Check out the definition in Webster's 11 College Dictionary, and check out the definition on the search engine, Bing and you will see who the idiot is!