Final answer:
A republic and a democracy both allow for the people to influence governance, but a republic does so indirectly through elected representatives who are charged with protecting minority rights against majority dominance. This is contrasted with a direct democracy where people vote on policy matters directly. Democracies protect fundamental citizen rights such as free speech, assembly, and fair elections.
Step-by-step explanation:
A republic and a democracy are closely related as forms of government where the people have a role in governing themselves. The core difference lies in the mechanism of governance. In a republic, the people elect representatives who then govern on their behalf. This is a form of indirect democracy, contrasting with a direct democracy where the people vote on policy decisions themselves. Contemporary democracies, including the United States, function mostly as representative democracies, sometimes referred to as republican forms of government. Here, the majority's decision influences government actions, though in a republican set-up, the rights of the minority are protected against majority tyranny.
The United States is an exemplary case of a representative democracy where citizens elect officials such as members of Congress and the President, to make laws and decisions for the nation. This system ensures that while the majority rule is a guiding principle, there are checks in place to safeguard the interests of minorities, preventing the possibility of a tyranny of the majority which is a risk in a pure democracy.
It is also important to note that democracies, in their various forms, guarantee certain fundamental rights to their citizens. These include organizing political parties, holding elections, and respecting individual rights like free speech and assembly. In summary, while both democracies and republics derive power from the people, the manner in which that power is executed and the protection of minority rights differ.