Alexis de Tocqueville warned about the “tyranny of the majority” in a democracy. Republicanism is the guiding political philosophy of the United States. It has been a major part of American civic thought since its founding. It stresses liberty and inalienable individual rights as central values, making people sovereign as a whole, rejects monarchy, aristocracy and inherited political power, expects citizens to be independent in their performance of civic duties, and vilifies corruption. American republicanism was founded and first practiced by the Founding Fathers in the 18th century. For them, according to one team of historians, “republicanism represented more than a particular form of government. It was a way of life, a core ideology, an uncompromising commitment to liberty, and a total rejection of aristocracy.” Republicanism formed the basis for the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence (1776), the Constitution (1787), the Bill of Rights, as well as the Gettysburg Address (1863).
Republicanism is a type of democracy, but if protected by a Bill of Rights, may be distinguished from other forms of democracy as a Bill of Rights asserts that each individual has inalienable rights that cannot be voted away by a majority of voters, unless the other type of democracies are also protected by a Bill of Rights. , and suggested the courts should try to reverse the efforts of the majority of terminating the rights of an unpopular minority. “Republicanism is derived from the”republic”, but the two words have different meanings. A “republic” is a form of government without a hereditary ruling class while “republicanism” refers to the values of the citizens in a republic.