America is a Republic. Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution states, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government.” Yet many people often mistakenly refer to America as a democracy.

One of the most glaring examples of this misperception was made by Hilary Clinton in a debate with Donald Trump, when she accused him of “talking down our democracy.”

In a democracy, all laws and decisions of government are made by the majority. This is not how the United States is governed.

The key difference between a democracy and a republic lies in the limits placed on those in the government by the law. In a republic there exists a constitution, or charter of rights, to protect certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away— even if a majority of voters demand it.

For Americans these protections include individual, minority, and states rights. In a “pure democracy,” the majority is not restrained in this way and can impose its will on any group with less votes.

Most modern nations are viewed under the definition of a democratic republic with a constitution, which can be amended by a popularly elected government. The comparison below, therefore, contrasts the form of government in most countries today with a historical description of a democracy. This is done with the purpose of emphasizing the features of the republic we enjoy today.

	Democracy                  VS.                          Republic
Definition	All decisions and power reside in the voice of the majority. As a result an individual, or group of individuals making up a minority, have no protection against the power exercised by the majority.	A republic refers specifically to a form of democracy in which elected individuals represent the citizen body and exercise power according to the rule of law under a constitution which protects the basic rights of individuals and the separation of powers with elected representatives.
Political System	Democratic: Relating to or supporting democracy or its principles — not a reference to the Democratic Party.	Republican: A form of government belonging to, or characteristic of a republic — not a reference to the Republican Party.
Philosophy	All eligible citizens get equal say in decisions.	All eligible citizens get equal say in decisions with protection of basic rights to individuals.
Constraints on government	No—the majority can impose its will on the minority.	Yes—the written laws of the republic prevent the majority from taking away certain basic rights.
Social Organization	Class distinctions can become pronounced due to a capitalist society.	Class distinctions can become pronounced due to a capitalist society.
Religion	Freedom of religion is generally permitted, although a majority faction may limit religious freedom for a minority faction.	Freedom of religion is generally permitted, especially when there is a constitutional prevention on interfering with freedom of religion.
Economic System	Democratic capitalism, also known as capitalist democracy is a political, economic and social ideology that involves the combination of a democratic political system with a capitalist economic system.	A capitalist economic system is one characterized by free markets and the absence of government intervention in the economy. Within a republic a capitalist economy will allow some government intervention, primarily to protect private property.
Famous Examples	Classical Greece, Rome	Rome, France, United States Of America
Sovereignty	Held by the whole population (as a group)	Held by the people (individual liberty). In the case of the US, it is also held by the States.
Key Elements	Free elections.	Free elections, with a constitution.
Common Confusions	People commonly confuse direct democracy with representative democracy. The US officially has a representative style, though many mistakenly refer to the United States as a democracy.	The US is actually a Republic (see Article 4, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution) as it is governed by rule of law. The elected are bound by oath to the constitution and vote as elected bodies to create laws to address concerns of those they represent.
Discrimination	In principle, all citizens have an equal say and are supposed to be treated equally. In practice it often allows for the tyranny of the majority over the minority.	In principle, all citizens have an equal say and are treated equally by the government, in accordance with constitutional prohibitions on government discrimination.
Freedom to Choose	Individuals may make decisions for themselves except for any limitations imposed on individuals by a majority faction.	Individuals may make decisions for themselves, within the freedoms provided by a constitution.
Private Property	Generally, private property is permitted, although a majority faction has the power to place limits on individuals’ and minorities’ property rights.	Private property is permitted and protected by constitutional rights to personal property.
Variations	Direct democracy, parliamentary democracy, presidential democracy.	Democratic republic or Constitutional republic.
Process of Change	The people must vote on proposed change with the majority winning.	People vote to elect their representatives and the representatives vote on proposed change. Although there are instances where the people vote directly on issues.

The Framers of the Constitution were altogether fearful of pure democracy. Everything they read and studied taught them that pure democracies “have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths” (Federalist No. 10).

That said, some states allow for policy questions to be decided directly by the people by voting on ballot initiatives or referendums. Since the Founders did not provide for national ballot initiatives or referendums suggests that the Framers’ opposed such processes of democracy. They were not confident that the people had the time, wisdom or level-headedness to make complex decisions, such as those that are often presented on ballots on election day.