“A threat to our democracy!”
Such statements have become commonplace in today’s political climate. The natural response to such a claim is to question how exactly a particular issue threatens our democracy, but I believe to do so - is to cede important ground.
America is not a pure democracy. It is a democratic republic. The difference matters because how we are governed matters. And democracies and republics are different forms of government.
The Founding Fathers not only made clear that our system of government was to be a republic, not a democracy, but they explained why.
The Declaration of Independence states clearly that all men “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” and “that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.”
The individual matters. This truth is supported by the life of Jesus Christ, who regularly sought after and ministered to the one, even if to do so meant leaving the ninety and nine. Additionally, salvation is clearly taught as an individual, not a collective, matter.
The individual has rights. Those rights come from God.
Governments exist not to provide rights, but to protect the God-given rights of its citizens.
The Founding Fathers felt that republics better protect man’s rights than did democracy. They taught that:
A pure democracy will fail due to human weakness:
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty.”
1814
Letter to John Taylor
A pure democracy violates the rights of the minority:
“…a pure democracy, by which I mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person, can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; … and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual. Hence it is that such 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.”
James Madison
1787
Republican government is founded on individual rights:
“The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen, in his person and property, and in their management.”
1816
Letter to Samuel Kercheval
Republican government respects man’s rights:
“…republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind,”
1790
Letter to William Hunter
Because the purpose of government is to protect man’s God-given rights, the Founders chose a republican form of government, not a democracy.
Guest Contributor, Damien DeMarco, is a professional Dad Jokester, college sports enthusiast and wannabe foodie. He has been studying the words of the Founding Fathers for years and is a fan of personal liberty. Damien currently lives in Southern Arizona with his beautiful wife and five children.
