# Why do U.S. government officials refer to the U.S. as a democracy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-u-s-government-officials-refer-to-the-u-s-as-a-democracy/97856>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 12, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-u-s-government-officials-refer-to-the-u-s-as-a-democracy/97856 "2002-03-12T15:57:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Justhink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@Justhink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justhink)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-u-s-government-officials-refer-to-the-u-s-as-a-democracy/97856/1 "2002-03-12T15:57:55Z")

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A constitutional republic is a form of democracy, not a democracy. More to the point however; since the U.S. uses a non-transparent voting process, it seems improper for anyone to refer to its state definition within democratic bound on any level.

Totalitarain Plutocracy maybe?

-Justhink

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**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-u-s-government-officials-refer-to-the-u-s-as-a-democracy/97856/2 "2002-03-12T16:12:12Z")

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Some of the republic vs. democracy questions have been discussed in the past. You might wish to try the search engine.

One thread that seems useful to your endeavour.

[USA Democracy or Republic?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=2629&highlight=republic+democracy)

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**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-u-s-government-officials-refer-to-the-u-s-as-a-democracy/97856/3 "2002-03-12T17:15:13Z")

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You asked why do officials refer to the US as a democracy. That is a very different question than whether it is a democracy or not.  
Most citizens think the US is a democracy. That’s fine by the officials. They’d rather not have to explain why it isn’t. And they’d rather that the populace believe it’s a democracy anyhow.

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**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-u-s-government-officials-refer-to-the-u-s-as-a-democracy/97856/4 "2002-03-12T17:41:34Z")

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Whether politicians should use the word democracy or republic is so clear cut that the Staff Report on the subject ends with:

> [@](#):
>
> In other words, our republic is governed by a representative democracy.

An argument for a plutocracy

[The U.S. is a plutocracy, and here’s why.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25968&highlight=plutocracy)