There Never Was A Democracy That Did Not Commit Suicide

My friend Joe Harper, an attorney, wrote an excellent piece explaining the difference between a democracy and a republic. As a follow-up to last week’s post, The Problem With "We The People," I’m posting an abbreviated version of Joe’s piece, with his permission:

Democracy is from the Greek demos, meaning people, and kratos, meaning government. The literal translation is government by the people, and this certainly has great appeal. Under a democracy, the majority rules without restraint of a given body of law. Indeed the law is whatever the majority say it is. 

Under a republic, the law is more than just politics, and is not dependent upon which group has the most power. The law is consistent, predictable, reasonable, and seeks truth and justice.

Why does it matter if the United States is a Republic or a democracy? A simple comparison between the two demonstrates why. Democracies are inherently unjust and unstable and have always ended in tyranny. John Adams even warned: "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy that did not commit suicide." 

With the increasing polarization and viciousness in politics, and the overt campaigns for more power illustrated by the constant concern over which party will gain or keep control over the House and Senate, it would appear that though our Founders and our Constitution established a Republic, we may have already degenerated into exactly what the pols and pundits already say - a democracy. How did we get here? By failing to adhere to the fundamental truth that there is a right and wrong. Failing to abide by the Biblical principles upon which our Nation was founded. Allowing God to be purged from our legal jurisprudence and replacing Him with the concept of evolutionary operations and moral relativism. 

We know from history that unless confidence in the law is restored, democracy will continue to overtake the republic and soon collapse it into tyranny. Tyranny is already showing signs as individual rights are beginning to be infringed upon, starting with religious liberties. Confidence can be restored, however, but it must start with a return to values and principles that created confidence and stability in the law in the first place. This means reversing the purge of God from our legal system.

For Joe's full post, click here.

If you are an American, and you pledged your allegiance "...to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God...,"  did any of your teachers explain what you were pledging your allegiance to? If you're a teacher, there's a teachable moment here.