REPUBLIC Vs DEMOCRACY

                                          Rule by Law vs. Rule by Majority

A Republic is representative government ruled by law the constitution.  A Democracy is direct government ruled by the majority .  A Republic recognizes the rights of individuals while democracy is only concerned with group needs. Lawmaking is a slow process in our constitution  requiring approval from the individual jurors. Democracies always self-destruct when the non-productive majority realizes that it can vote itself by electing the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury.

"Republic" is the proper description of our government, not "democracy". The key difference between a democracy and a republic lies in the limits placed on government by the law, which has implications on minority rights. Both forms of government tend to use a representational system where citizens vote to elect politicians to represent their interests and form the government. However, in a republic, a constitution of rights protects certain rights that cannot be taken away by the government, even if it has been elected by a majority of voters.  

Signing of the US Constitution:A great political milestone in Human History

If we discuss about United States, it is a republic, distinct set of definitions for the word republic evolved in the United States. In common speech a republic is a state that does not practice direct democracy but rather has a government indirectly controlled by the people. This understanding of the term was originally developed by James Madison. This meaning was widely adopted early in the history of the United States, including in Noah Webster's dictionary of 1828. 

What exactly the writers of the constitution felt this should mean is uncertain. The Supreme Court, in Luther v. Borden (1849), declared that the definition of republic was a "political question" in which it would not occur.

So what really is the essential difference between a Republic and a Democracy?

A Democracy is fairly easy to define once we make a mental note of an important distinction between two very different ways the term democracy is used in popular discourse. One is the conception of democracy as a “popular-type” of government, someone like Paris Hilton would define it “Democracy is like the government, what the people want."

A Republic, on the other hand, is "basically a policy in which the political power that is exercised is somehow limited." In most modern republics, the basis of such a limitation is usually a rational-legal charter known as the Constitution. So a genuine republic means, in contemporary political context, a one that is bound by the values of its Constitution. But political thinkers  have refined and elaborated upon this basic framework to expound certain operative principles, which by  the doctrine of Necessary Implication, must of essence constitute a true republic. 

In short, very real sense that, Democracy is a great political achievement for Humanity. But only and only in conjunction with Republican ideals did Democracy lead to the promise of equality, liberty, fraternity and justice for all? It is for that reason that most politics in the world is today aspire to be Democratic Republics! 

Democracy strengthened the philosophical, moral and conceptual foundations of Republics all over the world and rooted the system of governance. The 'Democratic Republic' proved to be an engine of history that led it into an era of unprecedented freedom and dignity for a vast majority of mankind.