What is the difference between democracy and union republic?

Question

What is the difference between democracy and union republic?

Answer 1

A Republic is representative government ruled by law (the Constitution). A democracy is direct government ruled by the majority (mob rule). A Republic recognizes the inalienable rights of individuals while democracies are only concerned with group wants or needs (the public good).

Answer 2

A republic is governed by representatives, but they are not necessarily elected by free choice of the people they represent. Some communist countries called themselves "democratic republics" not because they practiced democracy but because the leaders liked the sound of the word.