USA politics

[Coldicote]

Once more, starting now in January 2008, we are going to hear a lot about the USA election process, as between democrats and republicans. It seems that democracy and republicanism must be two different things. Can someone please explain what is the principle difference between them?

[Loosehead]

It's like the Whigs and the Tories, Toryism and Whig wearing are 2 different things.

They are just the nouns used to label the 2 main parties, they are not trying to be adjectives. I hope you are not really this thick.

[The Sherman]

they are the left and right wing parties like our labour and conservative party. THe democrats are supoosed to be left wing but as in this country the lines are blurred!

[Clanad]

It seems the questioner is actually asking the differences between republic and democracy, neither of which has anything to do with the Republican or Democratic parties here in the U.S. As already stated, and broadly speaking, Republicans core belief is smaller government and lower taxes, while Democrats defend bigger government and the programs that go along with that as well as higher taxes, at least on the rich, so to speak.
While a Republic is actually the description of the type of government here in the U.S. A Republic elects representatives to vote on governmental matters, while a true Democracy has the individual voting directly on any given matter before governement. In any nation of much size, that becomes quickly unworkable...

[Coldicote]

No, I wasn't being ''that thick' Loosehead. Perhaps it's unfortunate that the US uses the terms Republicans and Democrats, which are understandably thought of here in terms of republicanism and democracy.

In the UK we have a number of discontents, mainly anti-royalists, who seem to think there cannot be true democracy without being a republic. Clanad's comments deal well with this - pointing out that true democracy quickly becomes unworkable in a nation of much size.

[Quinlad]

A common misconception is that the Republicans are essentially the same as the Tories and the Democrats are the same as Labour.

US politics is actually way way over to the right of ours. Even the Tories would be considered Democrats.

Conservatives don't oppose gay marriage, or abortion. They'd never openly support capital punishment. yet these are some of the Republican's defining characteristics.