Nope. Democracy is mob rule. Doesn’t work.

COMMENTARY BY

Seth Griffin Seth Griffin is a high school student and debate coach from Indiana and a Heritage Foundation Academy Fellow. We have all heard the common talking point from the left that conservatives are destroying democracy. The response to this claim is the same time and time again: “We’re not a democracy, we’re a constitutional republic!” This leads us to ask an important question: Are there any differences between the two, and if so, why do they matter?

The answer is simple: There are profound differences between a democracy and a constitutional republic that are crucial to every aspect of American life. These three quotes from the Founding Fathers remind us to defend our constitutional republic with all our might.

Alexander Hamilton stated, “Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.”

Hamilton recognized the first of three harms of a real democracy. Democracy excludes the minority’s rights. It reminds me of the classic saying, “Democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch, but a republic is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.”