And what kind of 'ocracy' are we?

Here in America, we like to call ourselves a “democracy.” That rides along nicely with some of our other favorite sayings, such as “land of the free and home of the brave” and “of the people, by the people and for the people.”

But wait…there’s a line in our Pledge of Allegiance that refers to “the Republic for which it stands…” In truth, it appears that the United States is not a true democracy but rather a democratic republic.

So what’s the difference? I’m glad you asked.

Let’s say you work in an office with 11 people. At lunch time, you vote on whether to order pizza or Chinese. Pizza wins, 6-5, so you order pizza and everybody gets a slice or two. That’s a democracy. Majority rules. Period. End of story.

Now let’s say you vote again next week and it’s 6 for pizza, 4 for Chinese and 1 for burgers and fries. Pizza still wins, but the people who voted for Chinese or burgers now have certain rights that were recently granted to them by your boss. One of those rights says they are free to opt out of the pizza selection and go get a burger on their own. That’s how a republic works. Well, kind of.

Here’s a better explanation courtesy of the interwebz:  

“The key difference between a democracy and a republic lies in the limits placed on government by the law, which has implications for minority rights. Both forms of government tend to use a representational system — i.e., citizens vote to elect politicians to represent their interests and form the government.

“In a republic, a constitution or charter of rights protects certain inalienable rights that cannot be taken away by the government, even if it has been elected by a majority of voters. In a ‘pure democracy,’ the majority is not restrained in this way and can impose its will on the minority.”

I have to admit, I always knew there was some kind of difference, but I had to use the google to get a complete explanation. And that led me to look up a list of other terms that seem relevant in the Era of Trump:

Autocracy – a system of government by one person with absolute power. Examples are Syria, Egypt, Brunei, several African nations, various kingdoms and a whole bunch of “-stans.”  We’re not an autocracy (yet), but our alternative president apparently wishes we were.

Oligarchy – government by a few. In other words, a small group of leaders exercises complete control over its citizens. Modern-day examples are China, North Korea and Venezuela. If Trump keeps compressing his inner circle, this could be us before too long.

Plutocracy – a country ruled by its wealthiest members. Some people argue that we have become one now, because the Supreme Court has allowed a flood of money into our elections, income inequality is growing and the middle class is disappearing. Russia comes close to being a plutocracy. Ethiopia is the best example I could find, and some people think Japan fits the bill.

Theocracy – Government ruled by, or subject to, religious authority, or what we’re likely to become if Trump is impeached and Mike Pence becomes president. There’s a long list of theocracies around the globe including Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan and, yes, the Vatican.  

And then there’s kleptocracy, from the Ancient Greek word for “thief.”

Literally, kleptocracy means “rule by thieves.” A broader definition is “a government with corrupt leaders that use their power to exploit the people and natural resources of their own territory in order to extend their personal wealth and political power.”

Say what?

You mean like using the power of the White House to encourage foreign leaders to stay in your hotels, or granting your daughter trademarks for a line of jewelry, or meeting with Indian business partners to discuss business on the government dime, or renting out your Florida resort as the “summer White House,” or lobbying a British politician to oppose offshore wind farms because one will block the view at one of your Scottish golf courses?

Stuff like that?

According to New York Magazine, “There was a time in the very recent past, when the idea of a billionaire president running the White House like it was the D.C. branch of his family business — leveraging his office to increase the profit margins of his hotels and resorts, giving his daughter and son-in-law veto power over vast swathes of executive policy, and subordinating his campaign promises to the best interests of his brand — would have sounded like the plot of a gratingly bleak and unsubtle satire of the post-Citizens United era.”

There was also a time – like today – when it sounded a lot like reality.

I started this essay wondering whether we are a democracy or a republic. Now that I’ve reached the end, I’m not sure we are either one at the present time. When you look around at our country, what kind of “ocracy” do you see?