República

República is a term used in political science to describe a form of government in which supreme political power is held by the people and their elected representatives, rather than a hereditary monarch. The name derives from the Latin res publica, “the public thing.” In most systems, the head of state is a president or a ceremonial figure within a constitutional framework, and government authority is exercised through elected institutions.

Key characteristics of a republic typically include the rule of law, separation of powers among legislative, executive, and judicial branches, and regular elections that provide accountability for those who govern. Republican systems aim to constrain the arbitrary use of power, protect civil liberties, and mediate the relationship between majority rule and minority rights. Variants include constitutional republics, where a written or unwritten constitution limits government power; and parliamentary republics, where the executive is chosen by the legislature and often dependent on its confidence. Presidential republics, semi-presidential systems, and federations are other common configurations within the broader republican family.

Historically, the concept originates in antiquity with Rome’s res publica and reemerged in early modern and modern political thought during the rise of constitutionalism and liberal democracy. Contemporary examples span continents: many states describe themselves as republics, such as the United States (federal presidential republic), constitutional monarchies that function as republics within their political practice, and numerous European, Asian, African, and Latin American nations with varying blends of federal or unitary, and presidential or parliamentary arrangements.

República is distinct from democracy in emphasis; while many republics are democratic, a republic as a form of government centers on governance through law and representative institutions rather than monarchy alone.