Republicanism

Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often through elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context. The term "republic" may indicate 'rule by many people and by law', as opposed to monarchy, or arbitrary rule by one person. By this definition, dictatorial states are not republics, whereas, according to some such as Kant, constitutional monarchies may be. Kant preferred republicanism to pure democracy, on the grounds that the latter may be the unrestricted rule of the majority, unrestrained by law.