republicanism

/rɪˈpʌblɪkəˌnɪzəm/

Other forms: republicanisms

Republicanism is the political belief that the best form of government is one in which citizens choose their representatives and leaders through free elections. In the U.S., the Founding Fathers were proponents of republicanism.

In the United States, republicanism is occasionally used to mean "ideas or policies of the Republican party," but the definition of the word is general more broad. The principles of republicanism can be held by members of any political party: as long as you support the concept of representative government by citizens who actively participate in it, you're a fan of republicanism. The word comes from republic and its Latin root, respublica which means "commonwealth or public interest."

Definitions of republicanism

1. noun

   the political orientation of those who hold that a republic is the best form of government
   type of:

   ideology, political orientation, political theory

   an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation