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A '''Republic''' is a term used to describe a wide number of different forms of government types. The single common principal, however is that their power structure is, de jure, not the preserve of a royal family or aristocracy. Several countries which describe themselves as republics, have however, become de facto monarchies such as [[North Korea]] and [[Syria]]. The body of the state in a republic is derived from the people rather that from a monarch, and thus the law is enacted and enforced in the name of the people or of the state its self rather than in the name of the monarch.  

A '''Republic''' is a term used to describe a wide number of different forms of government types. The single common principal, however is that their power structure is, de jure, not the preserve of a royal family or aristocracy. Several countries which describe themselves as republics, have however, become de facto monarchies such as [[North Korea]] and [[Syria]]. The body of the state in a republic is derived from the people rather that from a monarch, and thus the law is enacted and enforced in the name of the people or of the state its self rather than in the name of the monarch. What defines a republic is not representation. The world's first republic, in [[Rome]], had no representation. All citizens sat in the people's assembly. What defines a republic is, to put it very simply, ''is that it is not a monarchy''. A monarchy locates rule in one person, one office. A republic distributes rule in a plurality of persons, offices, and bodies, all of them broadly representative of the various parts of the society, hence the public thing, the republic. It is separation of powers and checks and balances that define a republic, not representation. Representation can and does play a republican role, by separating legislative deliberation from popular passions. But it is not central to the definition of republic.  

Most Republics subscribe to one or more of the following principals:  

Most Republics subscribe to one or more of the following principals: