Mark

Maybe this will help... In the words of a wise man, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." Jokes aside, the main difference between a democracy and a republic lies in the limits placed on the government by law. In a pure democracy, the voting majority has almost limitless power over the minority. A republic, on the other hand, has a constitution that protects the rights of the minority from the will of the majority. Think of it like this: a democracy is like a group of friends deciding where to eat by a show of hands. The majority wins, even if it means the vegetarian friend has to eat at a steakhouse. A republic, however, is like a group of friends agreeing to a set of rules beforehand, like "no one has to eat at a place they're uncomfortable with." So even if the majority wants steak, they can't force the vegetarian friend to join. In a nutshell, a democracy is majority rule, while a republic is a system of government that is bound by the rule of law.