How does our Republic work?

By blending the federal power with the state power, and the voice of the people with the voice of the aristocracy.

Our union blends democracy, or rule by the people, with a republic, rule by aristocracy. It combines the power of the state with the power of the federal government. It does this with a series of checks and balances. The State power checks the Federal power, and the people balance the aristocracy. But how does it all work? Let’s take a deeper look. 

To understand the foundation of our government we must first look at Article 4, section 4 of the constitution. 

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence. 

Why is this important? A republic is a power structure independent and self-sustaining that divides power. What’s the best way to tackle a large project? Break it down into small steps that can be worked on in tandem or separately. Think of governing as a large project; the republican form of government is best because it divides the responsibility between as many parties as possible to help carry the weight of governing. 

Our founders were very concerned about concentrated power. By ensuring each state is an independent republic, the federal government divides its power and shares the responsibility of governing with the states. It also strengthens the union. 

The federal republic surrounds the state republics providing safety, while the many state republic provides strength from within. If the federal government were to fail the states could work together and build new federal power to protect themselves. They check and strengthen each other.

The federal republic’s responsibilities and powers are found in the constitution, and the 10th amendment ensures:

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

As in any successful power structure, it is important that each power live up to its responsibilities and not encroach on the other.

The Constitution of the United States outlines the structure and function of the federal government, including the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative branch, represented by the U.S. Congress, divided between the States or Senate and the People or House of Representatives, is responsible for making laws. The executive branch, led by the President, is responsible for carrying out laws and leading the country. The judicial branch, represented by the Supreme Court and other federal courts, interprets the Constitution and the laws. The federal government and individual states both have distinct powers, with the federal government having the power to regulate commerce, declare war, and make treaties. The states have the power to regulate many aspects of daily life, including education and elections. 

Article 1 Section 1 of the constitution states, 

“The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States”

By giving the people the right to choose the members, it guarantees the people’s voice is the balancing power between the state and federal powers. The people can organize and elect new members to the house if the federal and state powers become oppressive or fail to live up to their responsibilities.

One of the other fears of our founders was that too large a republic would fail. Power would become corrupted or weak since it would be so far from the people. This would lead to chaos and pure democracy, which our founders believed was mob rule which would ultimately lead to a monarch or dictator. By adding the house our federal republic extends the sphere of power by giving power to the people in a representative form. 

Representatives are elected to serve a specified term and are accountable to the citizens who elected them. They are responsible for making decisions on behalf of their constituents, taking into account the needs and views of their constituents as well as their own personal beliefs and values. They also participate in debates and discussions to ensure that all viewpoints are heard before deciding.

Our representative democracy serves as both a check on the power of the well-connected and wealthy by giving power and a voice to all United States citizens, but it also serves as a communication device. The people voice their concerns to their representatives, and the representatives funnel the information into the federal republican power structure so those leading us can properly govern. 

Think of Representation as Communication.

Proper communication is essential in any successful relationship, and it’s no different in the relationship between the people and the federal power. Our communication is found in our representation, and the success of our republican structure depends on it. The sphere of power must reach enough of the citizenry to carry the weight and responsibilities of governing. Without proper representation, the federal power becomes concentrated and susceptible to corruption or losing touch with those they lead.

This subject will be taught at the Madisonian Republican class on Saturday. If you would like to attend this class or any in the future you can RSVP here. It’s important to understand both the structure and communication of our government. In our March class, we will learn more about our representation and how it’s the voice of the people.