In September of 1787, Ben Franklin was asked by Elizabeth Willing Powell as he was leaving the Constitution Convention in Philadelphia what kind of government we would have. “A Republic, if you can keep it,” was Franklin’s famous response.
The process of creating our Repulic took years. Our War Of Independence was from 1785 until 1783, when the Treaty Of Paris ended armed conflict. In 1787, the Constitution for our form of government was written, ratified in 1788, and fully implemented in 1789.
Technically, the U.S.A. did not become a legal nation until 1789. And it was a messy six years after the war to get to that point. There were border disputes between Vermont and New Hampshire; New York and Vermont; New York and New Jersey; and an attempt by North Carolina to create an independent republic called Franklin.
When the war ended, our newly formed nation was $12,000,000 in debt. (That was 18th century value; today that figure would have a few more zeros.) Raising funds to pay for this lead to the Whiskey Rebelling in Pennsylvania in 1791
A lot of what we take for granted now, such as a standardized currency, didn’t exist. What made this new government survive, in spite of the rough start, is the fact that the founders created a Republic instead of a Democracy.
So what’s the difference between a Democracy and a Republic?
First of all, the very word democracy is not found in the U.S. Constitution or in the Bill Of rights. A democracy by definition is government by the people, and consequently majority rule. It is meant to consist of the common people who have political authority in the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinction and privilege.
However, the concept has often been perverted as in Democratic Centralism (i.e. Communist Socialism), which is a principle of the Communist Party, where only Party members can take part in policy discussions and elections, but are mandated to follow all decisions made from the higher Party levels.
A Republic is a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and term limited. The power resides in the body of the citizens entitled to vote and is executed by elected officials and representatives, who are term limited and responsible to the electorate, governing according to law.
As with democracy though, the term Republic has also been perverted at times. Some examples are The Democratic People’s Republic Of Korea (i.e. North Korea), and the old Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics. Basically, any time the words “people’s republic” are found together, that’s sort of a clue…
A Republic is actually a very fragile structure after a while. This is due in part to the representation elected from the general population. It’s counter to mob rule in that diverse voices and opinions are welcome. Therein are the seeds of dissent.
The Framers knew that throughout history large urban centers were always more powerful than the common people elsewhere. They were usually the center of government, commerce, and often the military. Thus they could, and usually did, seek to control the region or the entire nation.
Thus, the creation of the Electoral College. Its purpose is to counter the possibility of mob rule and serve as a balance between the so-called popular vote and the actual will of the rest of the people. It’s creation and method of implementation is found in Article 2, Section 1, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution.
Practically every election cycle, there are calls for the elimination of the Electoral College. However, since it’s an integral part of the Constitution, it would take a Convention of States and the ratification of another amendment to do so. Thankfully, that’s not an easy process.
Given the nature of our Republic system, verses the eventual mob rule of democracy, it doesn’t take long to see the paradox, or flaw if you will, within the system.
There is an engineering concept known as the single point of failure. That is one piece, one component, connection, or installation in any structure, that is not properly installed or maintained, will under stress bring the entire structure down.
I think most of us have seen the poem For Want Of A Nail: for want of a nail, a shoe was lost, for want of a shoe a rider was lost, for want of a rider a message was lost, for want of a message a kingdom was lost. Ben Franklin had a version of this in his Poor Richard’s Almanac. There are several other versions dating back to the mid 13th Century.
The point is that seemingly minor details matter… a lot. In our case, we have more than one flaw, or weak link, in our system. This weakness has happened over time, but fortunately has not yet reached the point where the whole structure can collapse. In no real order, here are the worst:
Lack of accountability. There are no consequences for bad behavior or policy. The Great Wuhan Kungflu Overreaction (i.e. COVID) is the best example.
The rule of law, or rather the non-compliance to the rule of law. Once again, no consequences for law breaking. The open border, and the (mostly peaceful, mind you… ) riots of 2020 are just two examples of many. In essence, this is the “democracy” that the progressive/socialist/liberal/Democrats want.
The election process is a mess and everyone know it. Remember the hanging chads from the 2000 election? If it wasn’t such a serious issue, that would make a great band name. Things haven’t gotten better with all the new tech involved. And mail in voting is a classic fraud scheme.
Coupled with the desire to “pack the court” (Supreme Court) and do away with the Electoral College, The Democrats have a plan and are definitely on a path to destroy the Republic and usurer in their form of “democracy”.
Be warned. Ben Franklin was a true Rennaissance Man of the 18th Century: inventor, businessman, diplomat… let’s pray he wasn’t a prophet as well.
In closing…
Take the time to read Exodus Chapter 18. God gave Israel a rudimentary form of self-government unlike anything else at that time. It wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that self-rule is God’s will.
