We are a Republic - how many of us know this?
(en.m.wikipedia.org)
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My pet peeve is people referring to our Republic as a "Democracy " Even Trump does it.. WHY ?
I know I cringe when he does , but I don’t say anything !
It is said so often and I notice every time . I am always saying "Our Republic" under my breath..
Me too lol !
In the original archaic definition the term ‘Republic’ it could be applied to literally any form of Government that wasn’t overtly tyrannical. Monarchy’s could and were considered Republics under the oldest definition.
However in modern day. The conflation of ‘Democracy’ and ‘Republicanism’ at least in regards to the U.S started with James Madison. Who conflated the idea of Representative Democracy with Republicanism. As we technically do meet the bare minimum definition for both.
Since then the terms grew to be used interchangeably. With ‘Representative Democracy’ eventually being shortened to Democracy. And World War 1 and 2 eventually making it fashionable to throw around the term Democracy more often than ‘Republic’. It’s only really been since about the later 20th century. That people have once again sought to establish a dividing line between what differentiates a Republic from a Democracy. Whether it be representative or some other form.
Thank you for your informative response .
It is the way in which representation is set-up based on certain rules that makes all the difference.
Compare: articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the States to the Constitution for the united States of America to THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
In the mesh of influence there within the several jurisdictions there is: common law and UUC and of course corporate statute.
When this is compared to Khadaffi' s Green Book, it is clear that the expression of the power of the people depends upon the cultural, historical and legal usances within a people.
Or compare it to the Roman Republic where the senate represented the people (not).
Mass-immigration destroys such notions, functions and institutions.
For instance, the 13 colonies derive from North Western Europe. The legacy is from there. https://www.greatseal.com/committees/firstcomm/index.html
Here you can find the preliminary design of the seal. Note the shields with the icons: https://www.greatseal.com/committees/firstcomm/1stCommitteeSealJohnMacArthur2020.jpg
1.Rose for England
2.Thistle for Scotland
3.Imperial Eagle for Germany
4.Belgic Lion for Holland
5.Fleur-de-lis for France
6.Harp for Ireland
the wrong designation is:
1.Holland, as the Belgic Lion symbolizes the Low Countries, i.e. the Union of Utrecht (17 provinces, from Dunkirk to Bremen, Liege to Texel, the birth place of the " land of the Free" or Frysland.
2.Imperial Eagle for Germany is wrong as well, as there was no German Empire at that point (only after 1871) bu, it designates the "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation". That includes: Parts of Northern Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, Burgundy, Lotharingen, Alsace, Luxemburg, Austria, Czechia, Silesia, Germany as we known it today up to the Baltic till Königsberg or currently known as the Russian occupied Enclave of Kalliningrad.
This construct, 1-6 is the real meaning of: "e pluribus unum" and a "more perfect union" means. This is the "leitcultur".
So, what do people not molded with such a cultural, historical and philosophical background have in common with those that do?
It changes things. The time-preference inherent to those not from such a bakcground is different from those with such a background.
So, representation may differ, expressing democracy in the way it is culturally and historically fit for a people.
The more homogenous the people, the easier it is to build a system that works, based on shared beliefs.