Definition of Democratic Republic

The concept of this entry is made up of two different terms. The idea of ​​republic comes from the word res publica, which in Latin means the public, that is, the organization of the state that affects all individuals.

In this sense, the Roman Republic as a form of state organization was born to avoid possible abuses by an individual who had all power in his hands. At the same time, the idea of ​​a republic can be understood in opposition to another form of government, the monarchy. On the other hand, democracy It is a word of Greek origin and what is democratic comes to be the power of the people. Starting from this terminological clarification, it is already possible to detail the main characteristics of the democratic republic as a general concept.

Some features of the democratic republics

All countries that rely on this form of government have, in theory, the purpose of ensuring that power is not dictatorial or despotic.

One of the essential mechanisms is the separation of powers. This means that the three powers of the state are independent. Thus, the

executive power it is held by the government of a nation and its highest representative is the head of state. The legislative power refers to who has the power to make laws, that is, the representatives of the citizens. The judiciary is held by the administration of justice (the members of the courts and tribunals that must apply the laws promulgated by the other two powers).

The mechanisms of participation Citizenship (for example, through periodic voting) are essential elements of any democratic republic.

Normally all democratic republics are governed by a Constitution where the general legal framework is established. The interest of the majority or general interest is also another of the principles of this form of government.

Democratic republics in Eastern Europe

At the end of World War II a series of eastern European states organized themselves under the name of democratic republics (also known as people's democracies) that were subdued by power Soviet. Among them we must highlight the German Democratic Republic, the People's Republic of Poland or that of Hungary. The regimes of these nations imposed a system of government that had little to do with democracy. It should not be forgotten that in all of them there was a single party, there was no freedom of expression and a generalized system of repression was imposed that radically departs from the idea of ​​democracy.

We could affirm, by way of conclusion, that the denomination of democratic republic has a double aspect: what it means in theory within the framework of the politics and, at the same time, what it has meant in some cases in practice. Finally, it must be remembered that today there are nations whose official name is the Democratic Republic (for example, North Korea or the Congo).

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