DEMOCRACY……….NEVER

English: Portrait of American political scientist John Burgess (1844–1931). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

James Madison, Hamilton’s major collaborator, later President of the United States and “Father of the Constitution” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Democracy is not a form of government to be desired by anyone.    In a Democracy authority is derived through mass meeting, the initiative, the referendum, instructed delegates or any other form of direct popular expression.  Democracy represents one of the two extremes among types of governing; Autocracy being the other extreme. Aristotle was the first establish these 2 extremes.

In an Autocracy authority is derived through heredity, regardless of character, capacity or conduct.  Rulers are chosen by virtue of their membership in a “royal” family.  The populace has no choice in their selection.

The George Bush’s were the first I can remember who promoted making the “world safe with Democracy.” This is an impossible task since “safety” and “democracy” have nothing to do with each other.  In “The Federalist,” James Madison wrote:

       “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.  Theoretic politicians who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their professions, their opinions and their passions.”

In contrast, in a Republic, authority is derived through the election of public officials by the people to represent them.  The keyword for republicanism is representation. The Republican form of government was established as The Golden Mean or the way that is golden.  Confucius wrote about the mean; Horace gave expression to the phrase “aurea mediocritas.”

          The mean that is golden is that middle point in any quality,                          state or activity which avoids the dangers or errors of either extreme by the striking of a well balanced medium.

 Article 4, section 4 of The Federal Constitution says, “The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a Republican form of government….”

On Sept. 18, 1803 Alexander Hamilton wrote to Pickering saying, “The plan of a constitution which I drew up………..was predicated upon these bases:

1.  That the political principles of the people of this country would endure nothing but republican government.

2……….that the republican theory should have full and fair trial.

John W. Burgess believed “it was not utopian to predict that the republican form will live after all other forms have perished.”  And “it seemed evident to him that the destiny of history is clearly pointing to the United States as the great world organ for the modern solution of the problem of government as well as of liberty.”

 To illustrate these 3 Forms of government

                        AUTOCRACY                REPUBLIC               DEMOCRACY

in food:          Starvation                   Nourishment               Gluttony

In drink:       Thirst                            Temperance                Drunkenness

 Democracy and the rule of Law are opposites; you either have one or the other, but you can’t have both.  The Rule of Law belongs to the Republican form of government:

    “The attitude democracy towards Law is that the will of the majority shall prevail, regardless of whether it is based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences.”  The attitude of democracy to the minority, is “too bad, so sad, I’m glad.”

The ignorance (ignoring the true meaning of words) of so many well-educated people in our society never ceases to amaze me. Once words lose their true meaning our downward spiral is inevitable.  Words Matter.

Much of what I am relating today was taken from a book written by Harry Atwood in 1918 called “Back to the Republic.”  The 10th edition was printed in 1934.  It was out of print for 25 yrs, then the 11th edition was printed and called, “Our Republic.”

Related articles

• Keep America From Becoming a Democracy (lewrockwell.com)