Definition of a Republic

Introduction
There is sometimes a confusion about what exactly is the definition of a republic. In April of this year, an article was published in the Daily Herald about a conflict between some concerned parents and the Alpine School District in Utah. (Warnock) Part of the concern was the use of the phrase “social democracy” as a mission statement instead of the word “republic.” (Ibid.). Likewise, the John Birch Society promotes a DVD that defines a republic as a government that follows the rule of law. I disagreed with their definition and e-mailed their organization. They sent me a timely and polite e-mail in which they strongly defended their definition. Thus, among some groups of people and organizations, there appears to be some strong feelings about the correct definition of a republic.

Surprisingly, such confusion is not new as there was confusion and different definitions of what constitutes a republic back in the founding era. This paper will examine some of those sources. First, I will look at some selected writings of John Adams and see how he defined a republic. Second, this paper will cite some of the Federalist Papers to see how they used that term. Lastly some other writers will be examined for their understanding of the word “republic.”

John Adams
John Adams understood both the origin and original definition of the word “republic” and what it had come to mean in his time. In his Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States, Adams explains the origin of the word in Latin. (Adams 119). Republic is a combination of “res” and “publicus. ” (Ibid.). “Res” means wealth, riches, or property. (Ibid.). “Publicus” means public, common, or belonging to the people. Together, or “res publica,” the two words mean the wealth or property belonging to the people. (Ibid.). Adams then goes on to state the “the original meaning of the word “republic” could be no other than a government in which the property of the people predominated and governed; . . . It signified a government in which the property of the public, or people, and of every one of them, was secured and protected by law.” (Ibid.). He further reasons that “This idea, indeed, implies liberty; because property cannot be secure unless the man be at liberty to acquire, use, or part with it, at his discretion, and unless he heave his personal liberty of life and limb, motion and rest, for that purpose.” (Ibid.). And it also implies that the property of all men is secured by law, no matter if a majority of men want to take it away from him. The law protects him and his property and is equally applied to all. Having the law equally apply to every man, no matter his station, is called “the rule of law.” Indeed, this definition corresponds with Adams's own definition of “republic.”

In 1775, John Adams defined the essentials of a republic as a “government bound by fixed laws, which the people have a voice in making, and a right to defend.” (Adams 96). A republic's rule of law was again emphasized in Adams' Thoughts on Government, where he defined a republic as “an empire of laws, not of man.” (Adams 108). In another part of his “Defence of the Constitutions of the United States,” Adams states that his preferred definition is that a republic is where all citizens, from the highest station in life to the lowest, are “equally subject to the laws.” (Adams 119). However, later in life, in some correspondence with another founding father, Roger Sherman, Adams defines a republic as a government “where the sovereignty is vested in more than one person.” (Adams Three Letters). A possible reconciliation of the those two definitions is that where the sovereignty is divided, the rule of law is more likely to be followed, because the power of government is divided and each branch of government checks the opposing branch.

In addition to giving the origin of the word in His Defence, Adams also notes that the understanding of the word republic was changed by Marchant Needham, and from that time, a republic came to mean representative democracy. (Adams 119.). It had been used in that sense ever since then, “even by writers of the most mathematical precision, the most classical purity, and extensive learning.” (Ibid.). Marchamont Nedham was a pamphleteer during the English civil war and the events surrounding the English civil war in the mid-1600's. John Adams wrote Defence in 1787. so, for over 100 years, the word “republic” had been used to mean a representative democracy.

In summary, according to John Adams, the true definition of republic was a government that followed the rule of law, but that the common understanding of the word was a representative democracy. And it was that common understanding that was used in the Federalist Papers.

Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers is a series of essays written in support of ratification of the U.S. Constitution. They were written by James Madison, Alexander Hamiliton, and John Jay. In Federalist number 10, Madison defines republic as “a government in which the scheme of representation takes place . . .” He goes on to explain that a main difference between a republic and a democracy is that in a republic “the delegation of the Government” is to a “small number of citizens elected by the rest . . .” (Federalist #10). Thus, a major distinction between democracy and a republic is representation of the citizens by a few elected officials in a republic. Madison again describes a republic as “a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people . . .” (Federalist # 39). This is describing a system where the people elect representatives to act for them in government. This looks like representative democracy, which was the common understanding of the word “republic” at that time.

One aspect in which a democracy and republic are similar is that in both, “the sense of the majority should prevail.” (Federalist # 22). Interestingly, Madison also noted the “extreme inaccuracy with which the term (republic) has been used in political disquisitions.” (Federalist # 39).

In short, the Federalist Papers treat the term “republic” as meaning a government with a representation elected by the people. In other words, a representative democracy.

Other Views
John Adams and the views expressed in the Federalist Papers do not include all the definitions of a republic that were current at the founding of America. Benjamin Rush defined republic as “a government consisting of three branches, and each derived at different times and for different periods from the PEOPLE.” (Rush 138). This seems to mesh with Adams's view that in a republic the power is divided. In Thomas Paine's Common Sense, he refers to the House of Commons as the republican part of the British government. (Paine 107). Paine's definition of republic seems to rest with representation of the people. In this he agrees with Brutus, an anti-federalist. (Brutus No. 1). These other views appear to buttress the contention that the common understanding of the word “republic” involves the people electing representatives, which is a democratic republic.

Conclusion
The term “republic” seems to mean different things to different people. To Adams, it means the rule of law. To Madison, it means representation. To others, the form of the government is what defines a republic. While these definitions are not mutually exclusive, they do not necessarily mean the same thing. A government could be set up so that there is no representation, yet theoretically everybody is subject to the law. An example would be a monarchy in which the king obeyed the laws. In contrast, a representative government could vote for laws that set certain favored classes of people above the law. This would violate the rule of law.

However, a representative democracy and equal application of law are not exclusive. In fact, I would argue that a representative democracy is the best form of government for keeping the rule of law. So, despite concerns from parents in the Alpine school district, or the stance of the John Birch Society, the two main definitions of “republic “ can go together. A possible synthesis of the two definitions of “republic” is a representative democracy in which everybody is subject to the law. The common understanding of the word “republic” is no threat to the our liberty and corresponds nicely with the understanding of that word in our founding era.

Works Cited

Adams, John. “Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States.” The Founders' Constitution. Ed. Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner. Vol. 1. Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, Inc., 1987. 119-121. Print.

---. “Novanglus, No. 7.” The Founders' Constitution. Ed. Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner. Vol. 1. Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, Inc., 1987. 96. Print.

---. “Thoughts on Government.” The Founders' Constitution. Ed. Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner. Vol. 1. Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, Inc., 1987. 107-110. Print.

---. “Three Letters to Roger Sherman, on the Constitution of the United States.” Online Library of Liberty. Web. 9 July 2010.

“Brutus No. 1.” The Founders' Constitution. Ed. Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner. Vol. 1. Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, Inc., 1987. 124-125. Print.

Hahn, Bill. “Re:Overview of America.” Message to the author. 1 Nov. 2008. E-mail.

“Marchamont Nedham.” British Civil Wars, Commonwealth and Protectorate 1638-1660. Web. 9 July 2010.

“Overview of America.” John Birch Society. 2006. DVD.

Paine, Thomas. “Common Sense.” The Founders' Constitution. Ed. Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner. Vol. 1. Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, Inc., 1987. 103-107. Print.

Rush, Benjamin. “Benjamin Rush to John Adams - 21 July 1789.” The Founders' Constitution. Ed. Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner. Vol. 1. Indianapolis, IN: Liberty Fund, Inc., 1987. 138. Print.

Warnock, Caleb. “Parents accuse BYU, Alpine of Socialist Conspiracy.” heraldextra.com. Daily Herald, 11 April 2010. Web. 9 July 2010.