independence, dependence, dependents, independents

Independence or independence means the state or condition of being free from subjection to, from the influence of, or from the need for support--
Independence Day is celebrated on the 4th of July.
They encouraged independence in their children, and hoped they would all make their own decisions.

Dependence or dependence means the state or condition of relying on the care or support of, financially or emotionally--
The physical dependence caused by his disability often left him frustrated and angry.
Her dependence and tendency to cling were the main reasons he asked for a divorce.

Independents or independents ( rhymes with independence ) is the plural ( more than one ) of "independent", a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning someone free from the influence or constraints of, or from allegiance to--
The Hollywood film directors often envied the independents.
The independents will decide this vote, as the republicans and democrats seem to be tied.

Dependents or dependents ( rhymes with dependence ) is the plural ( more than one ) of "dependent", a noun ( thing or idea ) meaning a person or thing that relies upon another--
They have four dependents, so their taxes are much lower than ours.
He bought enough life insurance to care for his dependents until they reached adulthood.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His dependence on the approval of the crowd lost him the respect of his fellow independents, who prided themselves on their independence, and shunned the studio system that made its dependents secure."

Note--"dependent" and "independent" are also adjectives ( words that describe something or someone ).
Dependent describes someone or something that relies upon someone or something else--
His accident left him dependent on others for care.
A dependent variable has a value determined by  the value of another variable, as in x=2y.
Independent describes someone who is free from reliance on others, or from subjection to, or the influence of others--
"Independent" was once a voter registration category--now it's called "unaffiliated".
Independent also describes something determined by a separate cause, or free from reliance on something else--
An independent clause has its own subject and verb.