I, as an American, am so happy that I live in a republic. Most American�s believe that we live in a democracy. They are wrong. If you say that we live in a republic with democratic institutions, I could accept that compromise. However, I dread the idea of democracy, and am glad that our system doesn�t provide for one.
What is the difference? A democracy is essentially mob rule. The majority gets what it wants regardless of the minority. A true democracy does not have any regard for minority rights. In a republic, the rights of the minority are respected. I will use the illustration that I use with my political students. You have a group of thirty. Twenty of them want to take all of the property of the other ten, or perhaps even their lives. In a democracy, heck, go for it. However, in a republic, those ten have rights that protect their lives and property. Let me use another example, compliments of a popular Atlanta talk show host. You have two wolves and a sheep. In a democracy, they three vote on who�s dinner. In a republic, the sheep has a gun. A trite analogy? Perhaps. But it accurately illustrates the difference between the two.
Recently in the south central African of Zimbabwe, we have seen an illustration on what a government popularly elected by the people, but lacking minority rights can do to people. The majority population of Zimbabwe is black. However, it has a significant white minority population from its days as a British colony. Much of that white population has significant farmland. That farmland provides a significant portion of that country�s food production.
Zimbabwe is facing starvation and has the second highest HIV rate in Africa. However, instead of dealing these issues directly affecting the well-being of the country, the government is ignoring the rights of their white farmers in a racist and discriminatory policy against its white farmers.
What is happening to the white farmers? The government is taking away the land white farmers have used for more than a century. White farmers, in accordance with a law recently passed by Zimbabwe�s legislature, are no longer allowed to farm their lands, and they must vacate them by August. Keep in mind that this was occurring through prime harvest time in Zimbabwe over the past month or so. So, in a country facing famine and with ripe crops in the field, the farmers are NOT ALLOWED TO HARVEST THEIR CROPS! They are not even allowed to water and feed their livestock! This is a democracy! It certainly isn�t a republic.
Zimbabwe wants to blame colonialism for their problems. Colonialism ended in Zimbabwe about forty years ago just as in its northern neighbor Zambia who were collectively known as Rhodesia in colonial days. However, the two have gone different ways. Zambia, a republic with minority rights, hasn�t focused on hold grudges and hatreds. Instead, it has developed its natural resources and developed a genuinely prosperous and stable republican society. Something that is rare in Africa. All Zimbabwe has to do is look at its northern neighbor to see how it is done. Instead, it has relied on racial demagoguery that a democratic government allows.
If you want to live in a democracy, go to Zimbabwe. However, the United States always has been, and should remain a republican form of government. Alas, if we don�t, we could go the way of Zimbabwe.