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One fundamental principle of a constitutional republic is the protection of minority rights against the potential tyranny of the majority. This design counters direct democracy, where majority rules could potentially ride roughshod over minority interests.
Are we a democracy or a republic? The conundrum is, well, as the common expression goes, "as old as the republic itself." But it's not just a question for scholars and semanticists any more.
In a pure democracy, laws are made directly by the voting majority, leaving the rights of the minority largely unprotected. In a republic, laws are made by representatives chosen by the people and must comply with a constitution that protects the rights of the minority from the will of the majority.
In a republic, a constitution or charter of rights protects certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away by the government, even if it has been elected by a majority of voters. In a "pure democracy," the majority is not restrained in this way and can impose its will on the minority.
The main difference between democracy and constitutional republic is that in democracy, the general public has the highest power whereas, in a constitutional republic, the constitution has the highest power.
The words democracy and republic are frequently used to mean the same thing: a government in which the people vote for their leaders. However, there are some situations in which one is better to use than the other.
The word democracy is nowhere in the Constitution (the word “republic” is), although the document did set up a federal system of representative democracy.
Constitutional Republic vs. Democracy. Some believe that the United States is a democracy, but it is actually the perfect example of a constitutional republic. A pure democracy would be a form of government in which the leaders, while elected by the people, are not constrained by a constitution as to its actions.
The major difference between a democracy and a republic is that a republic is a form of government whereas a democracy is an ideology that helps shape how a government is run. Put another way: a republic is the system of government that allows a country to be democratic!
While the United States was the first modern democracy, the world is now full of democratic and republican governments of various flavors: presidential republics, parliamentary republics, constitutional monarchies and more.