Republican Form of Government

On the last day of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, September 18, 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked by a lady whether the government being proposed for the new nation was to be a Republic or a Monarchy? His now-famous response was, “A Republic, Madam, if you can keep it.”

Republics are one of the world’s oldest and most successful forms of government. Republican governments have existed from ancient times, but history often obscures. We only have detailed knowledge of a few Republics in the Ancient Mediterranean. In particular, the Roman and Athenian Republics.

The Roman Empire, including both the Western and Eastern (Byzantine) parts, spanned a significant period in history, lasting approximately roughly 1480 years but when Rome was a Republic, it was the ancient world’s most successful and lasting at almost 500 years. In contrast, the United States is only 246 years old, dating to 1776 AD.

Americans need a better understanding of what a Republic is. Too often, they refer to the United States as a Democracy. The Democrats and the media are somewhat responsible by constantly referring to our country as a Democracy. Public education is the other culprit, but a Republic is not a Democracy.

In a Democracy, the "mob rules.” It is also known as "tyranny of the majority.” It refers to a form of government where the majority disregards the rights and interests of minority groups, potentially leading to oppression and injustice. Instead, a Republic is a representative form of government, where the citizenry elects their representatives in government to pass legislation according to what the voters want and offering protection to minority groups.

Both the United States and India have strongly undemocratic features. India has a powerful unelected civil service that controls many aspects of government. Conversely, the upper chamber of the U.S. House of Congress – the Senate, does not directly represent the American people, they aren’t supposed to. They take the legislation from the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, and make whatever changes they see fit. And in many cases, the final bill doesn’t resemble the original.

The oldest surviving Republic is that of San Marino, one of the world’s smallest nations. It has a population of around 33,400 people and an area of 23.6 square miles. The country is on the slopes of Italy’s Mount Titano. Residents of San Marino, claim Marinus, a Christian stonemason escaping persecution, founded their Republic in 301 AD.

Although Italy envelops it, San Marino is an independent country that is part of both the United Nations and the European Union. Interestingly, San Marino is the last survivor of many independent Italian republics that flourished during Mediaeval times and the Renaissance.

So next time you happen to hear someone refer to our country as a Democracy, correct the mistake and enlighten them with the truth.