Glossary term
Republic
A form of government in which citizens elect representatives to make laws and govern on their behalf (the U.S. is a constitutional republic).
Historical context
A republic, based on the Latin phrase res publica, is a state in which political power rests with the public (people), typically through their representatives—in contrast to a monarchy. Although a republic is most often a single sovereign state, subnational state entities that have governments that are republican in nature may be referred to as republics.