Is America Still a Republic?

June 4, 2026 Blog Post “If you Can Keep it.” The Constitutional Convention is, to this day, one of the greatest miracles of human history. Somehow, 55 men from diverse backgrounds and interests came together in the sweltering summer heat of Philadelphia and agreed on a brand-new form of government. Upon leaving the convention, a woman asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin famously replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” And that has been the rub ever since. Can we preserve this great republic? Can we succeed in this “Great Experiment”? The popular opinion during the time of the founding was that republics were a failed form of government. As laid out in the Federalist Papers, the ancient republics and democracies of Greece and Rome failed. However, this new form of representative government, a mix of direct and indirect democracy, was something new—it was an experiment. Because the Founding Fathers believed “all men are created equal,” they also believed that the only way to rule one another was by mutually agreed-upon consent—and that is why they chose to form a republic. Yet the Founders also understood human nature and the dangers of mob rule. They wanted not only to protect the rights of the majority, but also those of the minority. That’s why they implemented varying degrees of direct democracy and representative government. The Founders chose to have House members elected every two years so that the institution would be closest to the people, but they also chose to make the Senate, the presidency, and the judiciary far removed from direct democracy to create a more stable governmental system. Consent of the governed is still important in American politics today. Voting is one of the most sacred civic rights and responsibilities Americans hold, and it is one of the ways we will “keep our republic.” With the 250th anniversary of our nation coming up on July 4th, it is worth taking a look at our nation and asking how the country is doing in living up to the principles of our Founding? Take my America250 Surveys! Take the Separation of Powers survey here . Take the freedom survey here . Take the consent of the governed survey here . Take the self-government survey here . Take the U.S. Constitution survey here .