You may have heard the story told for many years about Benjamin Franklin meeting a woman as he was leaving Independence Hall in Philadelphia in 1787. She asked, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” His reply was “A republic, if you can keep it.”
This was no idle conversation as the woman was Mrs. Powel of Philada. Mrs. Elizabeth Willing Powel, whose family was extremely influential in the new Republic. Although no women served in the Constitutional Convention, Elizabeth Powel was a force in Philadelphia’s social and political circles. Her father and brother were wealthy merchants and along with her equally-prosperous husband, Samuel Powel, were active in Philadelphia’s political circles.
The brief comment was recorded in a journal kept by James McHenry while he was a Maryland state delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Along with it, McHenry recorded the events of the last day of the convention on September 18, 1787. A lot has changed since that monumental conversation took place.
A republic, or a democracy? Which do you prefer? In almost every article today talking about our government, writers usually refer to our country as a “democracy.” What is the difference? Which gives us more freedom and what are we doing to keep our freedoms today?
Historically, Republicanism is a political ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic. It emphasized the idea of self-rule by the individual and ranges from the rule of a representative government to the government of a people by their elected representatives.
Democracy is also a political system that relies on citizens being active in government through elections and discourse. It promotes the practice or principles of social equality and control of a group by the majority of its members.
Each of these forms of government has its advantages and each has things which concerned the Founding Fathers. Both require citizen participation in order for our country to thrive.
I view representative government as well as democratic elections of those representatives to both be essential elements of republicanism. Because of this, and because of Benjamin Franklin’s view of our nation’s form, I have always viewed our nation as a republic.
That said, I have to emphasize how important democracy is to our republic, especially in our right to vote. As an example, over the last six months many of us have spent hours passing a petition to put the new state flag on the ballot so that the people can vote on it. Why would we give so many hours to this cause? We do this because we feel that there are some things that the people need to vote on directly.
In the petition effort, we are close to having the 135,000 signatures needed to put this on the ballot and I personally would encourage any one who has not had the opportunity, to be an active citizen and go to the public library in Panguitch to sign the petition.
Which direction is America to go from here? Our form of government given to us by the Founding Fathers is a Republic yet millions of people clamor each year to destroy that government and replace it with a government that would essentially give us a Monarchy ruled by a King or, more likely, a group of “King Men.” When they are denied the power of a monarchy, they begin to chip away at what we have little by little to make our lives less free.
This is where we are today. Many of us are working to hold on to a representative form of government, while others are pulling us toward total control by the government through a powerful administrative state run by unelected officials.
If you think back about the freedoms you grew up with you will see that over the years those who want control of your lives have made quite a bit of progress in their agenda. Each year state and federal legislators reach further into your lives as they pass massive spending bills that you get to pay for and rules that govern your lives. What will this next year do to our form of government?
In The Hill’s article, “Destroying Democracy to Save It,” Jonathan Turley writes that Maine shows us the danger of zealots in our legal system.
“Maine’s [Secretary of State] Shenna Bellows issued a ‘decision’ that declared Trump an ‘insurrectionist’ and ineligible to be president,” Turley wrote last week. “She joined an ignoble list of Democratic officials in states such as Colorado who claim to safeguard democracy by denying its exercise to millions of Americans.”
Other states are trying the same tactic to keep Trump from running for President of the United States. Using the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, others are continuing this attack that could prevent millions of people from having a choice in who becomes our next President of the United States.
Attacks against many politicians on a state and federal level have escalated monumentally this last year. These attacks discourage good people from running for office as families are attacked as well as the individuals running for office. Some have been direct attacks such as lawsuits against candidates, but other attacks are in more subtle forms such as spurious accusations. Is this what should happen in a free country?
While candidates are the chief bullseyes of political attacks, the rest of us go on with our lives every day not knowing what in our lives is surveilled or recorded by corporations or governments. Is this Freedom?
As a republic, the government’s power flows from its citizens. But is too much power going to unelected officials who essentially run your lives? Has our country gone too far in letting unelected bureaucrats make the rules we live with each day? If so, what can be done about it and are you willing to stand up and do what needs to be done to turn things around to make this country a free nation run by the people again?
Stand for what you believe in. Not just in voting but in making your voice heard by those who are or want to be elected to make decisions that will affect your life. It is time that we as citizens of a republic stand up and let our elected officials know what we want done and what we would not like to happen. Don’t let others take over your life and take away any more of your freedoms.
A Republic is a form of government whose power flows from its citizens. Be an active citizen and save your freedoms.
– by Elaine Baldwin
Feature image caption: Benjamin Franklin in 1767, painted by Scottish artist David Martin while Franklin was on a trip to England. Twenty years later, he would participate in the Constitutional Convention as one of the Founding Fathers of our republic.
Read more from Elaine in Where Will America Go Next?
Elaine Baldwin – Panguitch
Elaine Baldwin is an Editor/Writer for The Byway. She is the wife of Dale Baldwin, and they have three children, 11 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Elaine enjoys making a difference in her world. She recently retired after teaching Drama for 20 years at Panguitch High School. She loves volunteering and finds her greatest joy serving in the Cedar City Temple each Friday.