Based on the John Birch Society Video: The American Form of
Government
Presented for the Summer Education Program
San Tan Valley – Queen Creek
Tea Party Patriots
“Well, Doctor, what
have we got—a
Republic or a
Monarchy?”
“A Republic, if you can
keep it.”
Most Americans believe the United States
form of Government is a Democracy
What most people do not realize is the very
important differences between a Democracy
and a Republic form of government
1.
2.
3.
The set of formal legal institutions that
constitute a “government” or a “state.”
The term comprehends actual as well as
prescribed forms of political behaviour, not
only the legal organization of the state but
also the reality of how the state functions.
A set of “processes of interaction” or as a
subsystem of the social system interacting
with other nonpolitical subsystems, such as
the economic system . . .
Mistaken Views of the Political Spectrum
Communists
Moderates
Fascism
What are the real political spectrums?
Communism
Total
Socialism
Government
Nazism
Power
Fascism
Princes
Kings
No Government
Power
Dictators
Etc.
100%
0%
Misplacement of Government forms
in the Political Spectrum
Nazism and Fascism on the Right or Left of the
spectrum?
The terms must be defined properly . . .
Communism
Total
Government
Socialism
Power
Nazism
Fascism
Princes
No Government
Power
Kings
Dictators
Etc.
100%
0%
What is found in the middle of the spectrum?
Communism
Total
Socialism
Government
Nazism
Power
Fascism
Princes
Kings
Constitutional
Moderates
Protecting the Rights
of the People
No Government
Power
Dictators
Etc.
100%
0%
What are the forms of Government?
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Republic
Democracy
Anarchy
Rule By One . . .
Doesn’t really exist
Always a group that puts one
of its members up front
 A king has his councils . . .
 A Dictator has his bureaucrats
or commissars



But this system is always
governed by a group in reality
Monarchy is not a real form of Government . . .
Oligarchy
X
Monarchy
Republic
Democracy
Anarchy
 Ruled



by a Group
Most common form
of Government
historically and today
Ruled by a Powerful
few
A legitimate form of
government
Monarchy is not a real form of Government . . .
Oligarchy
Republic
Democracy
Anarchy
Without
Government



Opposite side of the
Spectrum
A hatred for government
and its crimes
Some believe that it is
best not to have a form of
government

Without law there can be no Freedom

Anarchy does not work
Some amount of government is
anecessary force in any civilized
orderly society . . .




Every person must watch out for themselves
Property is at risk
Armed civilians
Movement is restricted because you may lose
what you leave behind at your property






Civilized societies have always hired a
protector or guardian
Sheriff
Police force
A branch of government
Law enforcement brings freedom
Property is protected so people can go to
work and travel
The proper amount of Government
makes everyone freer




Some want anarchy not because they want
no government, but because they do not
like what they have
Anarchy is used as a tool for revolutionary
change
Anarchy produces a vacuum . . .
Once government is removed, something
must replace it




Some want anarchy not because they want
no government, but because they do not
like what they have
Anarchy is used as a tool for revolutionary
change
Anarchy produces a vacuum . . .
Once government is removed, something
must replace it





Rioting, looting, destroying businesses,
terrorism
All designed to bring about the change the
anarchist want
The people caught up in the disaster beg
those who are ready to take over to save
them and to restore order
Who stops the chaos?
The very people who started it

Those who fill the void and take over then
set up an oligarchy to rule with total power

Lenin and the Unions

Iranians and the students

Hitler and the Brown Shirts

Castro and Mao and many others

Chaos introduces change and takeover

It is only a temporary form of government

It is only a temporary means for bringing
about a new form of government

It is not a legitimate government
Anarchy is not a real form of Government . . .
Oligarchy
Republic
Democracy
X
Anarchy
Oligarchy
Republic
Democracy

Two Greek words:

Demos = People

Kratein = To Rule

The Rule of the People or Majority Rule

But there are downsides . . .

What if the majority wants to take away a
persons home, business or even children?

There has to be limits!

The flaw: The Majority isn’t restrained!

51% can decide the fate of the other 49%
What about a Republic?
Oligarchy Democracy
Republic

Two Latin words:

Res = Thing

Publica = Public

The Public Thing or The Law
 The Government is limited
 Leaving the people alone
by Law



Wiped away tyranny
They had a clean slate to write on
Could have set up an Oligarchy
 George Washington could have been King!




Founding fathers knew history
Provided the Rule of Law instead
A Republic was formed
Democracy was shunned and hated by the
Founding fathers





Consider what happens in a Democracy when
a horse thief is captured
A Posse of 35 cowboys catches the horse thief
In a democracy the posse can vote 34-1 to
hang the horse thief
Democracy has triumphed
One less horse thief to contend with





Consider what happens in a Republic when a
horse thief is captured
A Posse of 35 cowboys catches the horse thief
In a Republic the posse can vote 34-1 to hang
the horse thief
But then the sheriff arrives and tells the posse
you can’t kill the horse thief
The horse thief has the right to a fair trial




A jury of peers is chosen to decide the fate of
the horse thief after evidence is presented
The Jury must be unanimous or the defendant
goes free
The rights of the accused are sustained
The Rule of Law prevails

The word Democracy is not used in the:
 Declaration of Independence
 The US Constitution
 The Constitutions of the 50 States

The founders did everything they could
to not have a democracy

The author of the US Constitution


Founding Fathers knew the history of the
Greek Democratic states
Government excesses leads to mob rule,
Anarchy, and then Tyranny under and
Oligarchy

Law needs to be written that is not subject
to Majority rule and its whims and winds of
change




Romans followed Solans counsel
Created Laws to limit government and to
leave the people alone
Freedom left people to excel in production
and to keep the fruits of their labor
Wealth and envy of the world







Forgot the value of their freedom
They forgot that the essence of freedom is the
proper limitation of government
When government power grows the freedom of the
people recedes
Political parties and politicians seized the power
away from the people
Redistribution of property, government subsidies,
housing and welfare programs, higher taxes to pay
for government followed
Profits declined, companies failed and mobocracy
followed demanding bread and circuses
Freedom was traded for security

Republic collapsed which lead to a democracy
which lead to an Oligarchy, which lead to the
Caesars


Not a valid government
Gradual transition between a limited
government to the unlimited rule of an
Oligarchy
Democracy is a transitional form of government . . .
Oligarchy
Democracy
X
Republic
There are really only two choices . . .
Oligarchy
Republic

An Oligarchy or a Republic?

What are you going to do when you hear
someone say our country is a Democracy?

Why do Politicians use the word
Democracy and not Republic?