America has become so polarized that everything is political. The country is so confused that everything is subject to debate. To facilitate discussion, let me clearly define and simplify the following basic political terms:
- Republic.
- Democracy.
- Autocracy.
- Socialism vs. capitalism.
Let’s discuss them one by one.
1. Republic
Read Wikipedia – Republic.
Simply put, today, if a country is not a monarchy, it is a republic. Three examples:
- The U.S. is a republic.
- China is also a republic.
- North Korea is not a republic, but a de facto monarchy, with a son succeeding the father as the “king”.
All republics are constitutional, as they all have constitutions. Therefore, the phrase “constitutional republic”, as is often used in American political discourse, is redundant at best.
A republic is socialistic by definition, as the government is supposed to serve the “public”.
A republic has two major forms:
- Democracy, such as the U.S.
- Autocracy, such as China.
2. Democracy
Read Wikipedia – Democracy.
Simply put, in a democracy, people vote to elect their leaders. Three notes:
- The voting rights may be limited, such as the minimum voting age.
- There can be multiple forms of majority, such as a simple majority or Wikipedia – United States Electoral College.
- A democratic government may be headed by a person via a direct election (e.g., the American President) or by a parliamentary majority (e.g., the French President).
All democracies (i.e., one person, one vote) are representative, as it is just impossible for everybody to directly vote on everything. Instead, we elect representatives to vote for us, at various levels (e.g., local, state, and federal). Therefore, the phrase “representative democracy”, as is often used in American political discourse, is redundant at best.
China is not a democracy, but an autocracy.
3. Autocracy
Simply put, the Chinese Presidency is an earned emperorship. It has all the advantages of a monarchy, without its biggest problem: succession via the bloodline – Only proven winners need to apply.
4. Socialism vs. capitalism
Read Wikipedia – Socialism and Wikipedia – Capitalism.
Simply put, because both the U.S. and China are republics, they both are socialistic by definition. What, then, is the key difference between them?
America was founded by/of/for the rich, and remains so today, with money behind everything, especially in politics. The image below offers a reality check for America.
China is controlled by the CPC (Communist Party of China), which gained power by force in 1949. So, it’s definitely not by/of the people by the American definition, but it appears to be the best government for the people, especially when compared with America.
Any doubt?
Here is a major perspective: Government approval rating at home – China (95.5%) vs. America (38%). For more, read The Harvard Gazette: Ash Center research team unveils findings from long-term public opinion survey.
A country without capitalism is dirt poor. So, the challenge for an advanced republic is to balance between socialism and capitalism, not arguing about just having one without the other, as many Americans do.
5. Closing
Once again, America is a very confused and polarized country. It is dangerous not only to itself, but also to the world. Hopefully, you find this post helpful in clarifying some basic political terms.
America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline). Or become a fiddle, second to China!
