These succinct definitions of what a Democracy is and what a Representative Republic is was produced by the US Army in 1928. These definitions were quietly withdrawn soon after the Progressives came to power. Yes, before the Progressive takeover of America, we were a Republic.
Democracy:
A government of the masses. Authority derived through mass meeting or any other form of "direct" expression. Results in mobocracy (mob rule). Attitude toward property is communistic-negating property rights. Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether it be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice, or impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences. Results in demagogue-ism license, agitation, discontent, anarchy.
Democracy is the "direct" rule of the people and has been repeatedly tried without success. A certain Professor Alexander Fraser Tyler, nearly two centuries ago, had this to say about Democracy, “A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largess (generous gifts) out of the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that Democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by a Dictatorship."
A democracy is majority rule and is destructive of liberty because there is no law to prevent the majority from trampling on individual rights. Whatever the majority says goes! A lynch mob is an example of pure democracy in action. There is only one dissenting vote, and that is cast by the person at the end of the rope.
The U.S. Democracy is now controlled by Liberal Groups. I define these groups as:
Liberal : A person who believes Government rules, individual rights if any are decided by government.
Progressive: Hard core Liberal.
Socialist: Hard core Progressive
Remember - Liberalism is the kid brother of Progressivism who is the kid brother of Socialism who is the kid brother of Marxism.
Representative Republic:
In a Representative Republic, authority is derived through the election by the people of public officials best fitted to represent them. The attitude towards property is showing respect for laws and individual rights, and a sensible economic procedure. The attitude toward law is the administration of justice in accord with fixed principles and established evidence, with a strict regard to consequences. A greater number of citizens and extent of territory may be brought within its compass avoiding the dangerous extreme of either tyranny or mobocracy resulting in statesmanship, liberty, reason, justice, state's rights, contentment, and progress.
A representative republic is a form of government under a constitution which provides for the election of an executive and a legislative body, who working together in a representative capacity, have all the power of appointment, all the power of legislation all the power to raise revenue and appropriate expenditures, and are required to create a judiciary to pass upon the justice and legality of their governmental acts and to recognize certain inherent individual rights. Take away any one or more of these elements and you are drifting into autocracy. Add one or more to these elements and you are drifting into democracy.
Our Constitutional fathers, familiar with the strength and weakness of both autocracy and democracy, with fixed principles definitely in mind, defined a representative republican form of government.
They "made a very marked distinction between a representative republic and a democracy and said repeatedly and emphatically that they had founded a representative republic." This is clearly spelled out in the U.S. Constitution.
A representative republic is a government of law under a Constitution. The Constitution holds the government in check and prevents the majority (acting through their government) from violating the rights of the individual. Under this system of government a lynch mob is illegal. The suspected criminal cannot be denied his right to a fair trial even if a majority of the citizenry demands otherwise.
The deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Many anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer came immediately. A Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Ben Franklin, "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?"
With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, "A republic, if you can keep it."
This exchange was recorded by Constitution signer James McHenry in a diary entry that was later reproduced in the 1906 American Historical Review.
U.S. Citizens have done a terrible job of keeping their Republic. It's time for good citizens to take the Republic back!
The Creed of the Republic of New America
As a Citizen of the Republic of New America I choose to soar to the highest heights for a view unknown by the vast majority of others. I do not choose to be a common person. It is my right to be uncommon. I seek opportunity... not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me. I want to take the calculated risk, to dream and build, to fail and succeed. I take responsibility for my actions and expect others to do likewise. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to guaranteed existence, the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia. I will not trade freedom for benefits (free stuff), nor my dignity for a hand out. I will never cower before any earthly master nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand straight, proud, and unafraid; to think and act for myself. To enjoy the benefits of my creations and to face the world boldly and say; this, with God's help I have done.
Have you noticed the word Responsibility in our Creed. A Republic will not work without it's people taking responsibility. If you are not a responsible person then a Democracy (kept citizen) is probably better for you. Did you also notice what our Creed says about a hand out. In the RNA you might get a hand up but never a hand out. I wish for you to keep your dignity and use the hand up to better yourself by become a productive citizen.
"If you love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
~Samuel Adams
The Pledge of the Republic of New America
I pledge my allegiance to the Republic of New America. One Nation, truly under God with freedom, liberty, and justice for all.
"It is an uphill struggle, but I wish that we could distinguish more carefully between freedom and liberty. These conditions are not the same, though they are certainly related. Freedom is the absence of restraint-a physical circumstance. Liberty, on the other hand, is a political situation denoting the lawful capability of the citizen to defend himself and his near and dear without interference from the state. Note that the Declaration of Independence forcibly and particularly establishes the blessings of liberty upon ourselves and our posterity.
~The late Col. Jeff Cooper