September 17, 1787: A Republic, If You Can Keep It ... Mohagany chair back with detail of a half-sun. ... “A republic, if you can keep it.” -- These famous words were spoken by Benjamin Franklin at the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1787. But what exactly is a republic and how does it differ from a democracy?
Long story short, the United States is both a democracy and a republic. Anybody who insists that we are one, not the other — to quote something...
At the momentous convention that drafted our Constitution in 1787, someone asked Benjamin Franklin what form of government the delegates...
Rome transitioned from a republic to an empire after power shifted away from a representative democracy to a centralized imperial authority,...
The U.S. system of government is a republic, a type of democracy in which elected officials carry out the will of the people. These officials,...
Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, compared with the men of this, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly...
Only later, when we move on to the anterior phases of digestion, will the meaning of the Trump trial become clear.
Ireland became a Republic 75 years ago on April 18, 1949. Although the majority of Ireland gained its independence from Britain in the 1920s...
The reticence to commemorate the day Ireland became a republic is down to the complexities and controversies of our history.
In essence, a republic is a form of government where the country is considered a "public matter" and not the private concern of rulers. The power resides with the citizens who elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. This system of governance was inspired by the ancient Roman Republic, where power was divided among different branches of government to prevent any one person or group from becoming too powerful.
Unlike a pure democracy where citizens vote directly on issues, in a republic, elected officials represent the people and make decisions based on the will of the majority. This representative democracy allows for more efficient decision-making and ensures that the rights of minorities are protected. The United States, with its system of checks and balances between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, is a prime example of a republic.
In conclusion, a republic is a unique blend of democracy and representation that aims to uphold the principles of equality, freedom, and justice for all. It is a form of government that requires active participation from its citizens to ensure that the system remains true to its founding ideals. As Benjamin Franklin warned, a republic can only be kept if the people are vigilant and engaged in the democratic process.
