What is an Aristocratic republic?

Answer 1

An aristocratic republic is a form of representative government in which the nobility(aristocracy) lead, they aren't necessarily be the most skilled or intelligent people but they are born into a position of wealth and status and derived their power from that. It's contrasted from a democratic republic because it does not allow the ordinary citizens to vote for their representatives. In a republican aristocracy, representatives are voted in by their peers.

Another View:

Republic and Aristocracy are two quite different words. Republic comes from the Latin res publica = things held in common. An aristocracy is 'rule by the best people' but in the practical word is oligarchy 'rule by the few', so there is a clear difference between aristocratic/oligarchic rule and the idea of everything held in common ownership of a republic.

Aristotle postulated

Monarchy (rule by one) which tends to degrade to tyranny (rule by a single autocrat).

Aristocracy (rule by the best people) which tends to degrade to oligarchy (rule by the few).

Democracy (people power) which tends to degrade to ochlocracy (mob rule).

So the idea of an 'aristocratic republic' is a contradiction.