Posted by alfie kane on November 16, 2000 at 01:38:41:
In Reply to: Re: Is the USA democratic ? posted by Melmac on November 15, 2000 at 21:31:10:
dear Melmac:
excuse me!!
u did not really address the points i raised, instead u gave definations from that font of all wisdom "merriam webster".
u then proceeded to extrapolate and quote selectively from the definitions.
republic:
"supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them"
this seems both practical and democratic, in that the people vote, and choose their representatives a la "representative democracy"
your interpretation of the defination of democracy seems to leave out the bit about "exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation" which seems pretty close to a "democratic" republic.
how exactly would u see the democratic system u envisage actually function as a system of government?
is it not true to say that a republic is completely compatible with democratic principles, when it also involves "periodically held free elections".