Many mistakenly call us a democratic nation when the truth is, we are considered a republic. What is the difference. In your own words! No copying and pasting!
2007-03-02 03:24:01 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Government
In a democracy, every person (or atleast every land-owning man in Ancient Greece) would have a vote on any government policy, be it taxation, new laws, etc
In a republic, people elect others to represent them in the legislature and this legislature conducts those votes.
2007-03-02 03:31:56 · answer #1 · answered by niuchemist 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Hmm.. I don't get why they call it a democracy.
The way the system is set up is to be a republic...where a large number of citizens have representatives who vote in the popular favor of the people they represent while compromise is taken with the minority.
A democracy has no middle man! No representatives for the people! A democracy sets up a government that is strictly run in favor of the majority.
I don't believe America is either. The representatives sometimes do not practice representing its people at all but instead rule in favor of corporations for the sake of profits...(I'm not only talking about Congress, but city/county reps as well - for example, I read an article of the governor of texas who is currently making the HPV vaccine mandatory. This decision is criticized greatly by parents (who want to sue him - LOL) and several public health members. Yet the govenor stands by his decision despite what the majority thinks. His actions are obviously not in the interest of the people he represents, but for the benefit of corporation gains).
The same thing is going on with the presidency...Where the Bush admin is currently standing by their decisions despite what the majority representatives of the people think.
2007-03-02 03:49:44 · answer #2 · answered by Jerry H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thomas Jefferson said it best:
"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine."
Another saying is:
"A democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for dinner. A republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote."
2007-03-02 20:23:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Democracy...1 man ,1 vote....everyone votes on everything!
Republic....we elect a person to represent us and vote for us on each proposal.
2007-03-02 03:32:34 · answer #4 · answered by The Cheminator 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
We are being governed by the elite and big buisness NOT the people
2007-03-02 03:27:56 · answer #5 · answered by ferengifighter 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋