independent. The revolution, however, succeeded
and the circumstances were such that there was no other alternative
but to have a republic: for there was no royal or Imperial
descendant to shoulder the responsibilities of the state. Another
factor was the influence of the advocates of republicanism who came
to America in the previous century from England and saturated the
minds of the Americans with the ideas of republicanism. The minds of
the American people were so imbued with the ideas of republicanism
that a republican form of government was the ideal of the entire
race. Had General Washington--the leader of the revolutionary
army--had the desire to become a monarch himself he would probably
have been successful. But Washington's one aim was to respect
republicanism and he had no aspiration to become King. Besides he
had no son capable of succeeding him on the throne. Consequently on
the day independence was won, the republican form of government was
adopted without hesitation, and it has survived over a hundred
years.

There is no need to ask whether the result of the establishment of
the American Republic has been good or bad. The republican form of
government is really the making of the United States of America.
But it should be remembered that long before the establishment of
the republic, the American people had already learned the good laws
and ordinances of England, and the constitution and parliamentary
system of England had been long in use in America for over a hundred
years. Therefore the change in 1789 from a colony into a Republic
was not a sudden change from a monarchy to a republic. Thorough
preparations had been made and self-government was well practiced
before the establishment of the republic. Not only this, but the
intellectual standard of the American people was then already very
high; for ever since the beginning of American history attention was
given to universal education. No youth could be found who could not
read, and the extent of education can thus be gauged.

Soon after the formation of the American Republic, the French
Republic followed in her footsteps. Now in France a monarchical
government was in existence before the declaration of independence,
and the supreme power of administration was in the hands of the
King. The people, having never p