Mosaic ImmunoEngineering is a nanotechnology-based immunotherapy company developing therapeutics and vaccines to positively impact the lives of patients and their families.
Message: 12th Principle--The United States of America shall be a republic.
Your Vote:
Did you know?
You can earn activity points by filling your profile with information about yourself (what city you live in, your favorite team, blogs etc.)
12th
Principle
The United States of America
shall be a republic.
Principle
The United States of America
shall be a republic.
-
This principle is highlighted in the pledge of allegiance
when it says:
when it says:
-
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America
And to the Republic
For which it [the flag] stands....
I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America
And to the Republic
For which it [the flag] stands....
-
There are many reasons why the Founders wanted a
republican form of government rather than a democracy.
Theoretically, a democracy requires the full participation of
the masses of the people in the legislative or decision making
processes of government. This has never worked because the
people become so occupied with their daily tasks that they
will not properly study the issues, nor will they take the time
to participate in extensive hearings before the vote is taken.
The Greeks tried to use democratic mass participation in the
government of their city-states, and each time it ended in
tyranny.
There are many reasons why the Founders wanted a
republican form of government rather than a democracy.
Theoretically, a democracy requires the full participation of
the masses of the people in the legislative or decision making
processes of government. This has never worked because the
people become so occupied with their daily tasks that they
will not properly study the issues, nor will they take the time
to participate in extensive hearings before the vote is taken.
The Greeks tried to use democratic mass participation in the
government of their city-states, and each time it ended in
tyranny.
-
A Democracy and a Republic Compared
-
A democracy becomes increasingly unwieldy and
inefficient as the population grows. A republic, on the other
hand, governs through elected representatives and can be
expanded indefinitely. James Madison contrasted these two
systems when he wrote:
A democracy becomes increasingly unwieldy and
inefficient as the population grows. A republic, on the other
hand, governs through elected representatives and can be
expanded indefinitely. James Madison contrasted these two
systems when he wrote:
-
"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....
"A republic, by which I mean a government in
which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a
different prospect and promises the cure for which we
are seeking." (The Federalist Papers, No. 10, p. 81.)
"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....
"A republic, by which I mean a government in
which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a
different prospect and promises the cure for which we
are seeking." (The Federalist Papers, No. 10, p. 81.)
-
"In a democracy the people meet and exercise the
government in person; in a republic they assemble and
administer it by their representatives and agents. A
democracy, consequently, must be confined to a small
spot. A republic may be extended over a large region."
(The Federalist Papers, No. 14, p. 100.)
government in person; in a republic they assemble and
administer it by their representatives and agents. A
democracy, consequently, must be confined to a small
spot. A republic may be extended over a large region."
(The Federalist Papers, No. 14, p. 100.)
-
A Republic Defined
A Republic Defined
-
To make his position completely clear, Madison offered a
concise definition of a republic as follows:
"We may define a republic to be ... a government
which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from
the great body of the people, and is administered by
persons holding their offices during pleasure for a
limited period, or during good behavior. It is essential to
such a government that it be derived from the great
body of the society, not from an inconsiderable
proportion or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of
tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a
delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of
republicans and claim for their government the
honorable title of republic." (The Federalist Papers, No.
39, p. 241.)
concise definition of a republic as follows:
"We may define a republic to be ... a government
which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from
the great body of the people, and is administered by
persons holding their offices during pleasure for a
limited period, or during good behavior. It is essential to
such a government that it be derived from the great
body of the society, not from an inconsiderable
proportion or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of
tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a
delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of
republicans and claim for their government the
honorable title of republic." (The Federalist Papers, No.
39, p. 241.)
-
During the early 1900s an ideological war erupted, and
the word "democracy" became one of the casualties. Today,
the average American uses the term "democracy" to describe
America's traditional Constitutional republic. But technically
speaking, it is not. The Founders had hoped that their
descendants would maintain a clear distinction between a
democracy and a republic.
the word "democracy" became one of the casualties. Today,
the average American uses the term "democracy" to describe
America's traditional Constitutional republic. But technically
speaking, it is not. The Founders had hoped that their
descendants would maintain a clear distinction between a
democracy and a republic.
-
"Democracy" Loses Its Identification with Socialism
Following World War II, an interesting semantic
transition began to take place in the American mind with
reference to the use of the word "democracy."
To begin with, the Communists, the National Socialists
of Germany, and the Democratic Socialists throughout the
rest of Europe had all misused the word "democracy" to the
point where it had become virtually meaningless as a
descriptive term. As a euphemism for socialism, the word
had become totally innocuous.
Furthermore, socialism, whether spelled with a capital
or small "s," had lost its luster. All over the world, socialist
nations -- both democratic and communistic -- were drifting
into deep trouble. All of them were verging on economic
collapse in spite of tens of billions of dollars provided by the
160
United States to prop them up. Some had acquired a
notorious and abhorrent reputation because of the violence,
torture, starvation, and concentration-camp tactics they had
used against their own civilian population. All over the world,
socialism had begun to emerge as an abject failure formula.
To the extent it was tried in America (without ever being
called "socialism"), it had created colossal problems which
the Founding Fathers' formula would have avoided.
All of this created a subtle change in the American mind
set. People continued referring to the United States as a
"democracy," but mentally they had begun to equate
"democracy" with the traditional Constitutional republic. It
became popular to refer to American democracy as though it
were quite different from everybody else's kind of democracy.
That is the status of the word "democracy" in the United
States today. The majority of the people are instinctively
leaning more and more toward the fundamental thinking of
the Founders. They will probably end up calling the United
States a "democratic republic," which is the term used by the
followers of Thomas Jefferson
Following World War II, an interesting semantic
transition began to take place in the American mind with
reference to the use of the word "democracy."
To begin with, the Communists, the National Socialists
of Germany, and the Democratic Socialists throughout the
rest of Europe had all misused the word "democracy" to the
point where it had become virtually meaningless as a
descriptive term. As a euphemism for socialism, the word
had become totally innocuous.
Furthermore, socialism, whether spelled with a capital
or small "s," had lost its luster. All over the world, socialist
nations -- both democratic and communistic -- were drifting
into deep trouble. All of them were verging on economic
collapse in spite of tens of billions of dollars provided by the
160
United States to prop them up. Some had acquired a
notorious and abhorrent reputation because of the violence,
torture, starvation, and concentration-camp tactics they had
used against their own civilian population. All over the world,
socialism had begun to emerge as an abject failure formula.
To the extent it was tried in America (without ever being
called "socialism"), it had created colossal problems which
the Founding Fathers' formula would have avoided.
All of this created a subtle change in the American mind
set. People continued referring to the United States as a
"democracy," but mentally they had begun to equate
"democracy" with the traditional Constitutional republic. It
became popular to refer to American democracy as though it
were quite different from everybody else's kind of democracy.
That is the status of the word "democracy" in the United
States today. The majority of the people are instinctively
leaning more and more toward the fundamental thinking of
the Founders. They will probably end up calling the United
States a "democratic republic," which is the term used by the
followers of Thomas Jefferson
-
The Attack on the Constitution
-
With the preceding historical picture in mind, it will be
readily appreciated that the introduction of the word
"democracy" (to describe the United States) was actually
designed as an attack on the Constitutional structure of
government and the basic rights it was designed to protect.
As Samual Adams pointed out, the Founders had tried to
make socialism "unconstitutional." Therefore, to adopt
socialism, respect and support for traditional
constitutionalism had to be eroded and then emasculated. In
view of this fact, it should not surprise the student of history
to discover that those who wanted to have "democracy"
identified with the American system were also anxious to
have Americans believe their traditional Constitution was
outdated, perhaps totally obsolete.
With the preceding historical picture in mind, it will be
readily appreciated that the introduction of the word
"democracy" (to describe the United States) was actually
designed as an attack on the Constitutional structure of
government and the basic rights it was designed to protect.
As Samual Adams pointed out, the Founders had tried to
make socialism "unconstitutional." Therefore, to adopt
socialism, respect and support for traditional
constitutionalism had to be eroded and then emasculated. In
view of this fact, it should not surprise the student of history
to discover that those who wanted to have "democracy"
identified with the American system were also anxious to
have Americans believe their traditional Constitution was
outdated, perhaps totally obsolete.
Loading...
Loading...
New Message
Please
login
to post a reply