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Presenting the 2008 Scholarship Winner of the Celebration of Liberty Essay Contest
Congratulations Emily Reyes! The winner of the 2008 essay contest. Below is a copy of Emily's outstanding essay:
A Republic, If You Can Keep It
By Emily Rose Reyes Benjamin Franklin once said “Where liberty is, there is my country”1. Everyday we Americans enjoy the liberties that other countries are without. Our Founding Fathers established the foundation of our liberty, which is a republican government. The United States of America was one of the world’s first republics and to this day is one of the world's longest lasting political regimes. Since 1776 the United States has retained this form of government and its independence from foreign rule. Historical figures like Benjamin Franklin had a clear vision of what this country could become and had a significant role in shaping our future. Benjamin Franklin was one of the greatest American minds and an important person in our heritage. Benjamin Franklin was an advocate for republicanism and emphasized that the new republic could only survive if the people were virtuous in the sense of attention to civic duty and rejection of corruption. A republic is a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of the citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them. Benjamin Franklin was among our founders who believed in responsibility and accountability of the people. Our system of government is unique and sets itself apart from monarchy and democracy. The USA is a constitutional republic, which means the officials elected as representatives must govern according to existing constitutional law. Our constitution is the framework of our government. A great chief justice once said, “The Declaration is the promise and the constitutions is the fulfillment”2. Nothing could be more true. It was signed in Independence Hall on September 17, 1787 and is used to advance the premise of the American Republic. The main difference between a republic and a democracy are that in a democracy it is ruled by the omnipotent majority. The distinguishing aspects of a democracy is that the individual or any group of individuals composing a minority, have no protection against the unlimited power of the majority. A republic on the other hand has a different purpose. Its purpose is to control the majority in order to protect the unalienable rights of the individual. Therefore, by protecting the unalienable rights of the individual you protect the rights of the minority and the liberties of the people in general. In a pure democracy one person can get one vote and the majority becomes law. Our republic is different because power is evenly distributed among everyone and no one person gets unlimited power. This important factor is what prevents corruption and aids citizens in accomplishing their civic duty. This was the main focus of Benjamin Franklin. As for a monarchy, a monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch usually a single person is head of state. In most monarchies, the monarch holds his or her position for life and passes the responsibilities and power to their children or family when they die. The American Revolution was a war to gain independence from the British Empire and to escape from monarchy. During the American Revolution there was a series of intellectual and social shifts in early American society. The most influential was republican ideals and eventually created the ethic that formed the American core and its political values. Our founding fathers gave us a republic. Benjamin Franklin wanted a republic, a government based on the rule of the law which could not be changed by the whims of the people. He wanted every voice to be heard in a fair and just manner. James Madison, father of the Constitution once said, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God"3. These men succeeded in creating the framework of this great nation and in shaping it to what it is today. A republic government should operate under a definition. A government by which authority is derived through the election by the people of public official's best fitted to represent them. These public officials should promise to uphold the constitution and make decisions that are for the good of the citizens. A republic government is a government of the people and should be the complete opposite of monarchical or aristocratic government. A republic should emphasize liberty, rule of law, popular sovereignty and the civic virtue practiced by citizens. The foundation of our republican government can only do that which is delegated by the people. Therefore, the federal government can only exercise those few powers authorized by our constitution. Adherence to this law is what protects us from corruption and makes the government only as powerful as needed. A republican government should stay in tune with the changing needs of the citizens and fulfill its obligations. In closing, we should celebrate the freedom in our country and recognize the cost of that freedom. We should acknowledge the great people that influenced our government for the better. We should remember our founding fathers and what they did for our republic. The most important thing we should understand is that we are a republic and fulfill our duties to our country. On holidays it is crucial that we comprehend the importance of the dates that we celebrate. We live in a country that is full of opportunities and dreams. Where we can pursue happiness and have the freedoms that other countries restrict such as religion and speech. Our government system has withstood internal breakdowns and protects the rights of every citizen. In essence we have a strong nation because throughout history brilliant mind from all over the world and because of this constant in flux of diversity we have new ways of looking at out government and making it stronger. Benjamin Franklin wanted us to keep the republic because he knew that it would be a sturdy foundation for out nation. He was right. We have proof of this today we are Americans and we believe that everyone is created equal and everyone has a say in our future.
The following is the essay theme for 2008:
At the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 18, 1787, a Mrs. Powel anxiously awaited the results. Benjamin Franklin emerged from the long task now finished. She asked him directly: “Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin responded, “A republic if you can keep it.”
The term republic had a significant meaning for early Americans. It meant a lot more than just a representative government and was a form of government in stark contrast to pure democracy where the majority dictated laws and rights. Getting rid of the English monarchy was what the Revolution was all about, so a monarchy was out of the question. What is a republic and why did Benjamin Franklin want us to keep it?
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