If you note that we are not a democracy, but a republic, you risk being mocked as strict constructionists overly wedded to technical definitions and unwilling to acknowledge the importance of popular sovereignty and the will of the people in our system. The distinction between a republic, which is technically what we are, and a democracy seems lost on those who intermingle the terms as if they were synonyms. People often use the term “democracy” when referring to the United States. Tips from Past “We The Future” Contest Winners!Įssay Read by Constituting America Founder, Janine TurnerĪ distinction with a difference to the American Revolution.
