Comment: Liberty, NOT Democracy

Gang rape is a democracy. Five persons say YES, one person says NO, the majority rules, electing one of themselves "sheriff," whose job is to seize and handcuff the victim.

"In particular, the resolution refers to American
‘‘democracy’’ and the ‘‘democratic’’ principles
upon which this country was founded.
However, this country was founded not as a
democracy but as a constitutional republic.
Madam Speaker, the distinction between a democracy
and a republic is more than just a
matter of semantics. The fundamental principle
in a democracy is majority rule. Democracies,
unlike republics, do not recognize fundamental
rights of citizens (outside the right to
vote) nor do they limit the power of the government.
Indeed, such limitations are often
scored as ‘‘intrusions on the will of the majority.’’
Thus in a democracy, the majority, or
their elected representatives, can limit an individual’s
right to free speech, defend oneself,
form contracts, or even raise ones’ children.
Democracies recognize only one fundamental
right: the right to participate in the choosing of
their rulers at a pre-determined time.
In contrast, in a republic, the role of government
is strictly limited to a few well-defined
functions and the fundamental rights of individuals
are respected. A constitution limiting the
authority of central government and a Bill of
Rights expressly forbidding the federal government
from abridging the fundamental rights of
a people are features of a republican form of
government. Even a cursory reading of the
Federalist Papers and other works of the
founders shows they understood that obtaining
the consent of 51 percent of the people does
not in any way legitimize government actions
abridging individual liberty."

Ron Paul, 10 July 2000, Congressional Record, page H5670
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2000-07-10/pdf/CREC-2000-0...