I have spent the day today reading about government, and following links to other blogs and sites that can tell me what the difference is between a Democracy and a Republic. According to WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD DICTIONARY:
A democracy is a government in which the people hold the ruling power either directly or through elected representatives; rule by the ruled.
A republic is a state or nation in which the supreme power rests in all the citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives elected directly or indirectly by them and responsible to them.
In reading further and still trying to understand what the difference was I ran across this acrticle by Gordon Bishop, who is upset with the Democrats calling The United States a Democracy.
“Historically, democracy leads to anarchy, which is “mob rule,” according to the Greek philosopher Plato (read Plato’s “The Republic”).
But America was not founded as a democracy. It was created as a constitutional Republic.
The word “democracy” was never used by the founders in writing the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, or the Bill of Rights.
The cornerstone of our nation’s founding as “free and Independent States” is specifically written in the Declaration of Independence for the “Representatives of the United States of America.”
There’s nothing in the Declaration of Independence about “democracy.”
The Constitution is even more emphatic about the kind of government the United States of America must be to remain free and independent.
Here it is: “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government.” – Article IV. Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution.
When we salute our American flag, we do not say “democracy,” we say:
“I pledge the allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible , with liberty and justice for all.”
Democrats (liberals) like to blur the distinction between a Republic and a democracy. They want voters to think “Democrat-democracy” – not “Republic-Republican,You see, an official Republic gives a Republican constitutional credibility.”
This got me to thinking Ok, we are a Republic, so why are we fighting to have Iraq become a Democracy?
If, as I seem to think it is, a Republic is a grouping of sovereign States, and works very well here, why could Iraq not become a Republic also?
I googled Iraq and what do you think I discovered? Iraq IS a republic. Has been for some time. Unfortunately, it was a Republic ruled by a dictator so the ruled did not really have a choice. They had a vote, but not a choice; They had to vote for Saddam.
One of the problems I see in Iraq is that there are three major factions all wanting control, and not wanting the others to have a voice.Most of the population are Muslim Arabs, divided religiously into the Sunnis of central Iraq and Shiites of the south. The Kurds, who inhabit the north (see Kurdistan), are the principal minority. Arabic is the official language in most of the country; Kurdish is official in northern sections; If each of these factions were allowed to have their own State as part of the whole Republic of Iraq, They could elect the leaders that they wanted within their own States and then send representatives on to the Central Government in Baghdad. Baghdad would remain the Capitol of the Republic, but not be a part of any state. Similar to our own Washington D.C. In Theory this would work. I think the powers that be on both sides here, need to give the people that are over there, time to work this out. The United States should not be the one to try and mediate this change. Our job was to get in get Saddam and get the hell out of Dodge!! At least it should have been. I am hoping that come July 31, that we really do turn over Iraq to it’s people. The United Nations, should then be the Auditors of the governing process. Let the appointed representatives meet and then form a Real Republic where in the People will vote for those they want to govern them, and then the UN needs to get out also.
I realize that this is not a popular idea, it means relinquishing control, and leaving. That is not something we are used to doing, We are used to occupying and controlling those we defeat. This is something new, But then so is the way we live now. War and it’s destruction is seen real time, and Mothers and Fathers are not accustomed to seeing their children wounded and dying. It is a different kind of a war, fought for a different kind of victory.
Victory should be the United States turning over the Country of Iraq to it’s appointed representatives, either get out then and have the UN oversee the electing of the People’s choice for representatives, or stay and with the advice of the UN over see the process along with the Iraqi people.
It is after all Their Country, This one is ours, and we need to make sure we have ours totally under control before the November Elections.
I have rambled, and I hope I have said some things that make sense. I really am concerned about us and them.
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