<human>:  What are the differences between a republic and a democracy?
<bot>: The main difference between a republic and a democracy is that in a republic, the people elect representatives to make laws and decisions, while in a democracy, the people directly make laws and decisions themselves. Another difference is that in a republic, the government’s authority comes from the people, while in a democracy, all people are considered to be equal, so no one has the higher authority. Lastly, republics usually have a written constitution that outlines the powers of government and the rights of citizens, while democracies often rely on tradition and popular opinion to shape their government.