Constitution question?

Question

What is the difference between a democracy and a republic and how did the Constitution strike a balance between these two forms of government?

Answer 1

A Republic is a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.

A Democracy is a government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. In a small country it could possibly be where the people vote directly on each issue. Within the United States this exists at some township levels of government.

While the United States is an intended mix of the two systems, in Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States it states, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican form of Government.”

During the constitutional convention one of the most significant dialogs concerned the makeup of the House of Representatives. It was originally the only part of the federal government where the members were selected by a democratic process of voting. Much of the dialog was focused on how the members would represent the people. Tham153’s allegation that the design of the House of Representatives was taken from the concept of the Iroquois Confederation sounds romantic but isn’t based on fact. Reading James Madison’s notes on the dialogs during the Constitutional Convention demonstrates that its design came from efforts to make it represent the people.

Originally the members of the Senate were selected for each State by the State Legislatures and this was changed in 1913 with the XVII Amendment so that were directly elected by the entire people of a given State (a mistake in my opinion). The President was (and is) elected by members of the Electoral College and thereby being elected by the States.

The balance (if there is such) is based on the concept that the Senate represented the States and the House represented the people. Originally balance was also tried for by the ability for the States (individually) to enact State Nullification of federal acts that State Legislature deemed unconstitutional.

The allegation by Tiana P that the Constitution is not valid is an error that has become popular in some circles over the years. The Constitution was ratified by the People through individual State in State Conventions and cannot not be negated by any President of Congress.

Answer 2

Wow, tough question. A democracy is the majority rules and the minority have no recourse. A republic is a control of the majority thereby giving the minority some protection.

Now the second part I'm afraid I can't help that much but I'd say it like this as an example. The Constitution grants the people (even minorities) the right to life, property and the pursuit of happiness.

Sorry best I can do. I'm not a history scholar.

Answer 3

i don't know, but i have an interesting constitutional fact...
did you know the US Constitution is not valid? The president prior to WW2 made it invalid so they could declare war and no successor has actually reinstated it