Uhh…help me out here. I keep wondering when did the United States became a democracy?
I feel like I’ve missed something. Democracy has become so ubiquitous in the mainstream political vernacular, it’s troubling.
Seriously … the last time I said the Pledge of Allegiance I don’t recall saying “ …and to the democracy for which it stands”. It’s still “… and to the Republic for which it stands.”
It’s gotten to the point where every time I hear some politician or commentator refer to our form of government as a democracy, I reflexively shout back , “We are a representative republic!”
A constitutional republic is also an apt description of America’s form of government. I’m no conspiracy theorist with an axe to grind, only a concerned American who understands democracy was never the source of our Constitution.
The Founders hated democracy, because it can easily slide into tyranny and mob rule. Don’t believe me? Look it up for yourself. James Madison said of democracy:
“Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”
And check out this criticism by John Adams, America’s second President:
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.“
You can read the Founders’ criticism of democracy here , and none of the comments are positive.
Keep in mind, God blessed America with some of the greatest intellects ever involved in the creation of a country. These were not partisans with an agenda to push, but learned, and for the most part, God-fearing men who wanted this new nation to flourish with the best form of government possible. They studied what form of governance worked and which were historical failures.
You have only to read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States to note no direct mention of democracy in either of these documents. However, you will read in Article 4 section 4 of the Constitution, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government…”
A republican form of government means each state has an equal say in elections and governance , no matter its size or population. A brilliant encapsulation of the differences between a republic and democracy can be found in this excellent video from PragerU. I highly suggest watching it in its entirety.
America was and is a republic, not a democracy. Any pundit or politician saying otherwise should be loudly corrected, no matter which side of the political aisle they reside.
Democrats invoke the word, democracy, to convince people they are the arbiters of freedom when in fact ,democracy tramples over the rights of the minority or the individual. Republicans should embrace the term, republic and declare it at every opportunity since this form of government protects individual rights and counters majority rule. After all, republicanism had the Founders seal of approval.
When did the United States become a democracy? The answer is never. America always was and always will be a republic despite the misrepresentations of the elites on both sides of the political spectrum. Since our government is of, by, and for the people, it is the responsibility of the people to keep the record straight.