Democracy and Republic

Introduction

India is pertained to as a democratic republican country, where if there are expansions to the power, there are thresholds and limits to that as well. With the liberation of certain rights and obligations, the people of the country have the power to elect the ministers of the Government. It is upon the people as to who they want to choose, hence people are the decision-makers of the state. But people may sometimes get confused with two terms i.e Democracy and Republic. Both the terms authorize representative power to rule, the disparity lies in the limits of the powers.

What is a Democracy? 

Democracy is a system of government where all the eligible and competent citizens of the nation equally participate in the decision-making processes of the country through the elected representatives. In simple words, we can say that Democracy is a form of state that allows the citizens to choose their government, that establishes the rule of the majority.  

The word Democracy has emerged from two Greek words, demos and kratia, where demos means the people and kratia means the power of authority. Here, the eligible citizens of the country have the freedom to vote and elect their representatives who take their problems and issues forward. So, the system encompasses electing representatives, developing laws and operating according to what the majority has to say. 

What is a Republic? 

Similar to democracy, this form of government also has a representative aspect, but with an addition of a charter or the Constitution that limits the power of the majority and protects the minority from being completely overshadowed by the majority people. Here too, the head of the state is appointed by the way of elections, who serves for a limited term.

The word ‘republic’ emanated from the Greek word ‘politeia’ that implies the rights of the citizens. Republic involves the fair distribution of power between the bodies of majority and minority. The concept of a republic originated way back in 500 BCE where the Roman Republic is traced as the oldest form of a republic in the ancient period. 

Difference between Democracy and Republic

Definition

Democracy is a system of government where all the eligible and competent citizens of the nation equally participate in the decision-making processes of the country through the elected representatives. 

On the other hand, the Republic also has a representative aspect, but with an addition of a charter or the Constitution that limits the power of the majority and protects the minority from being completely overshadowed by the majority people.

Making of Laws

In the case of democracy, the majority party has the unlimited power to make laws and implement them in the country. Thus, minorities have less protection against the majority ones. 

On the other hand, in the case of a republic, the addition of a charter or the Constitution limits the power of the majority and protects the minority from being completely overshadowed by the majority people. Thus, protection is provided to the minority under this. 

Protection of Rights

Under democracy, the rights of the minority people cannot be protected and thus the majority has an unlimited extent of power over the minority. 

On the other hand, the republic protects the minority from being completely overshadowed by the majority people with the way of the Constitution. 

Constraints on the government 

In the case of democracy, there are no such constraints on the government. The majority can make rules according to his will and can overpower the minority people. 

On the other hand, the republic has restrictions on the government where the existence of the agreement or the Constitution constrains the power of the majority people over the minority. 

Fundamental emphasis 

The main focus of the democratic form of government is to ensure the general will of the people who elect their representatives. So, the system encompasses electing representatives, developing laws and operating according to what the majority has to say. 

On the other hand, the republic form of government puts the main focus on the Constitution that lays certain rules, regulations and duties for all. So, a kind of boundation is put on the powers of the majority over the minority. 

Types 

The democracy is categorized into four different categories namely, monitory democracy, representative democracy, direct democracy and Constitutional. 

On the other hand, the republic is split up into five classifications namely, the federal republic, theocratic republic, presidential republic, Parliamentary republic and Constitutional republic. 

Examples

One can find democratic forms of government in countries like India, the United States and Nigeria. While, on the other hand, republic form is present in nations like the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Federal Republic of Germany and the Argentine Republic. 

Conclusion 

Different nations have different kinds of forms of government. Both the forms are similar in the fact that they allow a type of representative government. The main distinction that originates between Democracy and Republic is the expanse to which both these systems enable people to have a restraint over the law-making system under each kind of administration in the country. Both of them have certain flaws as well, but this is how the governmental system works.