What is a republic?
Q: What is a republic?
A: A republic is a form of government that has no monarchy and no hereditary aristocracy. It originates from Rome and the word comes from the Latin words res publica, meaning a "public thing". In a republic, national sovereignty lies in the authority of the government, not in an emperor or monarch. The head of state in a republic is generally chosen by citizens by direct election or by representatives to act as their top representative.
Q: How did the Roman Republic come about?
A: The Roman Republic was established in 509 BC when Romans overthrew the Roman Kingdom and elected representatives to rule on their behalf.
Q: What is a constitutional monarchy?
A: A constitutional monarchy is a country with a king or other monarch but also free elections. This type of system resembles a republic because it has been amended to remove power from the monarch and install institutions conforming to republicanism. Examples include countries such as United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands, Thailand, and countries in Scandinavia.
Q: Are all countries with presidents considered republics?
A: Not necessarily; some countries may be called "republics" even if their head of state isn't called "king". For example, although the Roman Empire had an "emperor" and Dutch Republic had a "stadholder", they still worked as hereditary monarchs.
Q: Who was Licchavi?
A: Licchavi was an Indian kingdom which was one of earliest known republics during 6th-5th centuries BCE.
Q: How did Greek cities choose their leaders?
A: Greek cities chose their leaders through voting or lottery systems rather than other city-states at that time period.
Q: What makes republics different from other forms of government?
A:Republics are different because laws are made and enforced without royal authority whereas other forms of government have laws made under royal authority
