AH.com Challange: Make the USA the only Republic in the world

Susano

Banned
The historical distinction I've generally seen is in where sovereignty vests. If a single individual is sovereign, that's a monarchy (limited or absolute, depending on how strong his obligations to the commoners and nobility constrains his actions). If sovereignty is held in common by all citizens, that's a republic. That's where the Latin root "res publica" (public thing) comes from -- the state is owned by the public, not by any individual or small group. The vesting of sovereignty among all citizens is why "Republic" tends to be associated with "Democracy".
Thats not even true of the first Res Publica - not only was that oligarchic, hence souvereignity never was held in common by all citizens (yes, there also was a general vote, but the vote of the lower classes was pretty useless), as said it eventually got under the control of a single ruler, too.

And, as said, our modern conception of republic only takes its name form teh res publica - but it comes from the emdieval and early modern republics, and they were clearly defined as being not monarchies. The Protectorate on the British Islands was a republic, even though Cromwell ruled like a king.
 

maverick

Banned
1781: King Charles III of Spain divides the Spanish colonial Empire into Four Monarchies, under himself and his sons:
-Empire of Spain: Charles III
-Kingdom of New Spain: Charles I
-Kingdom of Peru: Ferdinand I
-Kingdom of Nueva Granada:Gabriel I

1789: French Revolution takes place and spreads, etc, is eventually defeated.
 
The idea of republic meaning democracy is a bit silly and outdated, I'd imagine a lot of it is built in the days when there did tend to be vaguely-democratic republics and out and out monarchies.
The correct, most true, modern definition is republic=no monarch.
 
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