Definition of Democracy
"Democracy: A government of the masses. Authority derived through mass meeting or any other form of ‘direct expression.’ Results in mobocracy. Attitude toward property is communistic — negating property rights. Attitude of the law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether it be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice, and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences. Results in demagogism, license, agitation, discontent, anarchy.”
- War Department Training Manual, No. 2000-25. 1928
A democracy is majority rule and is destructive of liberty because there is no law to prevent the majority from trampling on individual rights. Whatever the majority says goes! A lynch mob is a good example of pure democracy in action. There is only one dissenting vote — and that is cast by the person at the end of the rope.
But a republic is a government of law under a Constitution. The Constitution holds the government in check and prevents the majority (acting through their government) from violating the rights of the individual. Under this system of government a lynch mob is illegal. The suspected criminal cannot be denied his right to a fair trial even if the majority of the citizenry demands otherwise.
We will either be governed by laws or ruled by men. Because of man's nature, rule by men has always ended in tyranny. Only under a government of laws will our God-given rights be secure.