republicanism

noun

re·​pub·​li·​can·​ism ri-ˈpə-bli-kə-ˌni-zəm 

1

Republicanism

a

: the principles, policies, or practices of the Republican Party (see republican entry 1 sense 1a) of the U.S.

His compelling story of how three Catholic families made the migration from Franklin Roosevelt Democracy to Ronald Reagan Republicanism …

—Steven Pearlstein

b

: the U.S. Republican Party or its members

… north metro Atlanta, the birthplace of Georgia Republicanism.

—Jim Galloway

2

: the principles or theory of republican (see republican entry 2 sense 2a) government

But others see a hereditary monarch as anachronistic—a vestige of Britain's feudal past that does not represent the people of today. During Charles' coronation, proponents of republicanism staged protests calling for the monarchy to be replaced by an elected head of state.

—Danica Kirka

Support for republicanism was as much about pragmatism as principle, even if more radical voices like Thomas Paine advanced an association between monarchy and decadent, unearned privilege.

—Suzanne Schneider

3

: support for or adherence to a republican (see republican entry 2 sense 2) form of government

But Scotland and Northern Ireland do not need to avow republicanism to vote for democratic self-determination.

—Matt Seaton

… the [English] government was provoked by French attempts to spread republicanism in the king's dominions …

—William Hunt and Reginald Lane Poole

Examples of republicanism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Thomas Jefferson, another founder who also served as America’s third president, espoused the view that democracy included social equality, economic equality, freedom, and republicanism. —Blake D. Morant, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

The individual states have their own constitutions, and municipalities have their own charters, but nothing in them may contradict what is in the federal Constitution, because, in our version of republicanism, the authority of the federal Constitution is absolute. —Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024

Foreigners certainly no longer see the U.S. as a beacon of republicanism. —Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 25 June 2024

The clash between these two perspectives stretches back to antiquity and originated in the differences between Athenian democracy and Roman republicanism. —Jacob McHangama, Foreign Affairs, 9 Feb. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

republicanism

noun

re·​pub·​li·​can·​ism ri-ˈpəb-li-kə-ˌniz-əm 

1

: support or desire for a republican form of government

2

: the principles or ideas of republican government

3

capitalized : the principles, policy, or practices of the Republican party of the U.S.