Democracy and republic

[Shadylookin]

Furthermore they are elected (or appointed) by those we elect or some others those who were appointed by those we elect.

We (at least in Germany, I think in the UK as well) also don't directly elect the executive branch but it's elected by the ones we elect. Same applies to the electoral college in the U.S..

they are appointed by the president. A president that is elected by electors and not the people.

 

[Hitro]

they are appointed by the president. A president that is elected by electors and not the people.

Have you actually read the post you quoted, particularly the last sentence?

 

[MrPresident]

Originally posted by Shadylookin
the executive branch is supposed to enforce the laws. The judicial branch is supposed to review the laws and see if they can actually become laws or not. the outcomes they reach can greatly effect civil liberties for all americans.

That's an Americanisation. Plus it only really refers to the Supreme Court.

 

[Hitro]

That's an Americanisation. Plus it only really refers to the Supreme Court.

It's sort of the same here, but that doesn't change anything as the relevant courts are still appointed by people who are elected or those they appoint.

It's not direct democracy, that why it's not called that...

 

[MrPresident]

I was thinking more of countries who use the code system.

 

[kronic]

The lawyers of the German Supreme Court are elected by 2/3 majorities in both chambers of our parliament (Bundestag and Bundesrat).


edit
The lawyers of the other federal courts are also not appointed by the government.

 

[Shadylookin]

Have you actually read the post you quoted, particularly the last sentence?

the last sentence is irrelevant as I'm not german or british nor do I personally care. Of course the UK cannot be a democracy since an unelected monarch technically has all the power. she may not exert her power, but that doesn't really change the fact that it's still a monarchy.

The checks and balances to the United States government system stop the will of the majority of the representatives, and since the representatives are supposed to represent the people(which they don't as it is an uneven representation that is not equal) the will of the people is stopped. That is not democratic.

 

[Colonel]

I dont know if anyone has said this yet but the first posts definition of each government is wrong

Democracy : Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.

WRONG!!!!!!

Democracy: A Government completely run by the people all things are decided by the people.-ie NO ELECTED REPRESENTIVES-True Democracy

Republic : A political order whose head of state is not a monarch and in modern times is usually a president

Semi Wrong

Republic: A Government where the people elect representives to decide on all governmental matters.

Furthermore they are elected (or appointed) by those we elect or some others those who were appointed by those we elect.

We (at least in Germany, I think in the UK as well) also don't directly elect the executive branch but it's elected by the ones we elect. Same applies to the electoral college in the U.S..

The electoral college is not to make it more like a republic but orginally it was so we could better represent the total population-they used to split electoral votes dpendant on the percentage..

Lastly the US is not a Democracy or Republic but rather a Democratic Republic

 

[Perfection]

I dont know if anyone has said this yet but the first posts definition of each government is wrong



WRONG!!!!!!

Democracy: A Government completely run by the people all things are decided by the people.-ie NO ELECTED REPRESENTIVES-True Democracy

No, that's just a Direct Democracy, while you may have been able to make that case in ancient Greece, ever since about 18th century the term was changed to a more open system. It was natural evolution of the language. You can't chastise folk for using it in the modern sense that practically everyone agrees with and is used in numerous respected works in that sense.

Semi Wrong

Republic: A Government where the people elect representives to decide on all governmental matters.

I have never seen this definition before, where are you getting it?

Lastly the US is not a Democracy or Republic but rather a Democratic Republic

Actually it's all three

 

[Akka]

I dont know if anyone has said this yet but the first posts definition of each government is wrong

No. It's the definitions that are actually the oens in the dictionary. If I made this thread, it's PRECISELY because plenty of people use WRONG definitions. Like you.
It's not a point of opinion, it's a point of definition, and the definition of a word is found in dictionary (and can be guessed from the roots of the word).

I already explained that democracy means that the power comes ultimately from the people, and that the FORM OF GOVERNMENT DOESN'T MATTER, as long as the power is, at the basis, in the people.
Indirect/representative democracy is still democracy.
Republic has NOTHING TO DO with elections. Republic only means that there is not an hereditary head of state.

I'm rather astounded that I have to repeat the exact same arguments that in the first post. Do so many people even BOTHER to read/understand ?

 

[Jack the Ripper]

A pure democracy is as much of a pipe dream as pure communism. A constitututional republic / democracy is the only way to go.

 

[Shadylookin]

No. It's the definitions that are actually the oens in the dictionary. If I made this thread, it's PRECISELY because plenty of people use WRONG definitions. Like you.
It's not a point of opinion, it's a point of definition, and the definition of a word is found in dictionary (and can be guessed from the roots of the word).

I already explained that democracy means that the power comes ultimately from the people, and that the FORM OF GOVERNMENT DOESN'T MATTER, as long as the power is, at the basis, in the people.
Indirect/representative democracy is still democracy.
Republic has NOTHING TO DO with elections. Republic only means that there is not an hereditary head of state.

I'm rather astounded that I have to repeat the exact same arguments that in the first post. Do so many people even BOTHER to read/understand ?

to be picky you only used 1 of 2 definitions for republic.

republic: a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law; also : a political unit (as a nation) having such a form of government

 

[Blackbird_SR-71]

Honestly we will never get anywhere. too many people think different definitions of republic and democracy then others. it is pointless to discuss this. although i complement Akka for posting a very good definiton of the words.

 

[Steph]

From wikipedia:

Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. Under such a system, legislative decisions are made by the people themselves or by representatives who act through the consent of the people, as enforced by elections and the rule of law.

In its basic sense, a republic is a state in which sovereignty derives ultimately from the people (however defined), rather than from a hereditary principle.


The definition of the word "democracy" from the time of ancient Greece up to now has not been constant. In contemporary usage, the term "democracy" refers to a government chosen by the people, whether it is direct or representative.

There is another definition of democracy, particularly in constitutional theory and in historical usages and especially when considering the works of Aristotle or the American "Founding Fathers." Socrates, Plato and Aristotle never used the words democracy or republic interchangeably. According to classical usage, the word "democracy" refers solely to direct democracy, whilst a representative democracy where representatives of the people govern in accordance with a constitution is referred to as a "republic". This older terminology also has some popularity in U.S. Conservative and Libertarian debate.

Modern definitions of the term republic, however, refer to any state with an elective head of state serving for a limited term, in contrast to most contemporary hereditary monarchies which are representative democracies and constitutional monarchies adhering to parliamentarism. (Older elective monarchies are also not considered republics.)


So Akka gave the current modern definition of both, and some people here stick to the classical definition.

As Greek or Latin are no longer that widely used by the population, I suggest we use the modern definition