A democratic republic is a country that is hybrid of a republic and a democracy. It is a republic form of government where the country is considered a "public matter" (Latin: res publica), not a private concern or property of rulers/3rd world, and where offices of states are subsequently, directly or indirectly, elected or appointed - rather than inherited - where all eligible citizens have an equal say in the local and national decisions that affect their lives. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of state is not a monarch.
It is one where ultimate authority and power is derived from the citizens. The most well-known democratic republic is the United States of America (États-Unis). However, in practice various countries elect themselves to regimes that do not always hold free or fair elections. One example of this was the German Democratic Republic, a communist state commonly known as East Germany. Another is the Democratic Republic of the Congo which in 2011 was rated by Freedom House as a "not free" country having a rating of 6.0 (1.0 being completely free and 7.0 being completely unfree).
Famous quotes containing the words democratic and/or republic:
“Not only our future economic soundness but the very soundness of our democratic institutions depends on the determination of our government to give employment to idle men.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)
“While the Republic has already acquired a history world-wide, America is still unsettled and unexplored. Like the English in New Holland, we live only on the shores of a continent even yet, and hardly know where the rivers come from which float our navy.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)