Introduction 

Walking home from the store last week, I passed a yard sign that demanded, “Defend Democracy”. I remembered memes on X proclaiming that the U.S. is a republic. I couldn’t help thinking – wrongly, I suppose – that Democrats work to defend democracy while Republicans support our republic. So, defend democracy. Support the republic. 

Democracy 

This form of political rule highly valued by Americans was begun by the Greeks. All citizens of a city were allowed – expected – to gather together in ecclesias to decide on policies for their lives and their relations with other cities. 

England’s Magna Carta forced an unworthy king to give up some of his power to men of his realm. This began the long slide of the English monarchy from absolute power to its present merely influential status. King Charles can have influence on Parliament and on British society but he cannot rule absolutely.

English colonists in America valued the monarchy but met to make many decisions on their own. They fought the Revolutionary War to cast off the bonds of British political rule over themselves. They set up a nation that valued the needs and interests of the citizens. They highly valued democracy.

However, our Founding Fathers understood the hazards of full democracy. If more than half of the citizens turned against a particular population – be they blacks, gun owners, rich people, or people merely accused of being child molesters, the majority could work evil against that population.

Besides, even the Greek democracies did not serve the interests of all the people. It served only the citizens, those landowners registered as members of the city. Their wives, children and slaves had no protection as citizens. The Magna Carta gave freedoms to the lords of the realm, not to their wives, children, and serfs or other peasants. The American colonists voted for their interests but not for their wives, children or slaves.

Republic 

The American Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution to set up a representative form of government, a republic. All citizens, now including men and women “regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability” have the right to vote. Our representatives make policies for our lives and our relations with other nations.

Implications 

So, as the sign said, “Defend Democracy.” Join the Democrats in their fight to give protection to every citizen, “regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability”.

On the other hand, “Support the Republic.” Support the Republicans in their efforts to fight against the evils of full democracy. Do not give citizenship and its protection to every man and woman. Illegal immigrants and criminals must not have such protections. (American and foreign terrorists, violent protesters are criminals.)

Second, because our Constitution is the primary legal document for our government, we must support the republic it describes. This includes limiting government to serve the people, not requiring the people to serve the government. Defend democracy. Support the republic.