Part One, American Government and U.S. Constitution

Lesson 13: Principle 12 -Advantages of a Republic

Name: _______________________

Part II: The Founders' Basic Principles –	28 Great Ideas that Changed the World

Lesson 13 Time: 28:29 [for Sunday May 18, 2014]

The 5000 Year Leap: 12th Principle: Reading Assignment:
Advantages of a Republic (pages 153-61);

Lesson objectives:

As a result of this lesson, the student should be able to discuss the following questions/topics:

1. What is a democracy? Why does democracy always end in tyranny? (Pages 153-54)

"and to the Republic..."

o not a democracy!

-requires full participation

-people will not study issues

-people will not sit through hours of hearings

-Greeks tried - ended in tyranny

2. What is a republic? Why did the founders prefer it to a democracy? (154-55)

Democracy vs. Republic- (p 154)

D

1d -- all people participate

2d -- majority rules

3d -- no protection of rights

4d -- poor outvotes the rich, no protection of property (and tyranny)

5d -- works only for a small group

6d -- ends in turbulence

R

1r -- Gov. by freely elected representatives of the people

2r -- rule by law

3r -- protection of rights

4r -- protection of property

5r -- works for a very large region

6r -- (ends) in perpetuity
3. Describe how the word "democracy" became a tool of the socialist cause. (155-57)

Changing Meaning of Democracy

o Used to mean socialism

o Most Americans think it means the way the founders set up our government.

o Confusion began with the ISS Intercollegiate Socialist Society in 1905

o Organized to promote movement of "industrial democracy known as socialism"

ISS

o Slogan: "Production for use, not for profit"

o Popularized thru govt., press, radio etc..

o By 1921, "socialism" gets bad name

-USSR	-repugnant to many Americans

o ISS changed name to "League for Industrial Democracy"

o All the people could enjoy all the profits

4. Tell how the government's own literature once distinguished between a democracy and a

republic. (157-58)

U.S. Government warns against

o U.S. Army Training Manual on Democracy

-gov by the masses

-direct expression

-mobocracy

- communistic - no property rights

-passion, prejudice, impulse

o U.S. Army Training Manual on Republic

-Gov. by representatives

-authority by election

-fixed principles

-larger territory

-statesmen, liberty for all

5. Explain how the term "democracy" became entrenched as a description of our society during

President Woodrow Wilson's administration. (158-59)

United States a Democracy?

o Pres Woodrow Wilson said W.W. 1 would "make the world safe for democracy"

o Recruited many ISS workers

o ISS workers went to work for:

- press

- teacher-training colleges

- churches

6. How has the word "democracy" lost its identification with socialism in the American mind?

(159-60)

o Democracy loses its identification with socialism

- Socialism lost its appeal

- US continued to be referred to as a Democracy

- In minds of Americans, Democracy came to mean the original system.

7. Can it be said that the term "democracy" has actually been used to attack the Constitution?

(160-61)

Attack on the Constitution

o Democracy demotes the Founders Ideas

o Seems to imply Founder's ideas are out dated

o Initiative

- People pass petitions and vote in own laws

o Referendum- legislature refers issues to people