What Losing Our Democracy Truly Means
The unintended consequences of having the people choose their leaders
168 is a newsletter emailed on an unscheduled basis in which I share my thoughts on various topics for discussion. Archived newsletters can be found at www.1hundredsixty8.substack.com. Please add your comments by clicking the REPLY button at the end of this piece.
If you find the chaos let loose on the nation in the two months since Donald Trump was inaugurated shocking, then you are like the frog in the pot who ignores the rising temperature until it’s too late. Trump is not the root cause of the decay of our democratic system, only the result of it. The signs of this decline have been apparent for a long time to those who cared to look. As Trump’s campaign for President gathered steam in February 2016, for example, Rolling Stone's Matt Taibbi pointed out that
We let our electoral process devolve into something so fake and dysfunctional that any half-bright con man with the stones to try it could walk right through the front door and tear it to shreds on the first go… [Trump's]’ no ordinary con man. He's way above average — and the American political system is his easiest mark ever.
After the turbulent 1960s, diverse reactionary forces emerged over decades, paving the way for an oligarchy to replace the government of, by, and for the people.1 In this century, the Supreme Court (Citizens United v. FEC) turned electoral politics into an investment opportunity, and money poured into politics. Trump, whose venality and narcissism make him an easy mark for manipulation, became the perfect tool to be used by these plutocratic forces to obtain their goals. Ironically, a wealthy conservative elite is moving into a position of political power by riding the populist wave created by Trump.
So the question we face now is, “Have we lost our democracy?” Is the damage being wreaked upon the institutions of our political society close to being beyond repair? What the future holds for America is uncertain, but we must remind ourselves that hope is not the answer. Action is required.
What does democracy mean to most people?
When people say we are losing our democracy, what is it they believe we are losing? In an everyday sense, what does democracy mean to the average citizen? The United States is a representative democracy in which the people theoretically exercise the power to govern themselves by having a majority elect (the democracy part) their leaders (the representative part). For that reason, the Constitution- our foundational governing document- begins with the words “We the People”. It created the framework of a government that decentralized the state’s power into three co-equal branches. It specified the rights the people granted to themselves. With foresight, a method to amend it in the future was included. The Constitution aimed to reflect the will of the majority while protecting the rights of the minority. Conversely, because of the compromises required for it to be ratified, the Constitution also established the potential for minority rule through anti-majoritarian bodies like the Senate and the Electoral College.
I doubt, however, that people think of government and democracy in that way. We are not a nation of political scientists. However, democracy does require citizens to have a basic understanding of their government. The principal author of the Constitution, James Madison, emphasized this in a letter to his friend William T. Barry in 1822:2
A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or perhaps both. Knowlege will for ever govern ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own Governours, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.
Mr. Madison would be very disappointed if he knew how his hope for a vibrant public education system was faring two centuries later.
Look at surveys from organizations such as Pew Research or The Annenberg Public Policy Center. You’ll discover that sizable numbers of Americans have little understanding of the structure or workings of the Federal government. As a public, we have off-loaded the exercise of political power to a professional political class. I am not referring to the civil servants who man the bureaucracy but to the elected officials who set policy. We are not diligent in holding the people we allow to make our laws, levy taxes, and spend our money accountable at the ballot box. Our complaints not withstanding, we are getting the leaders we deserve.3
In a general sense, I would guess that many Americans think of democracy as a system where they have freedoms and rights. It is unlikely the same people realize that the freedoms and rights are granted to them by a social contract that simultaneously places certain limits on them. The function of government is to provide structure and order to a society so that its members are able to enjoy those rights and exercise those freedoms. To grasp this concept of government, think of how control of automobile traffic is accomplished through signs, signals, and lane markings. People are free to drive to any destination they choose, but they must obey the traffic laws to ensure a smooth flow of traffic for all drivers.
It is also clear that not everyone agrees that these rights and freedoms extend equally to all members of society. Think of this as the“liberty for me but not for thee” mindset. Given that democratic societies allow for diversity of many types- political, religious, cultural, etc.- the potential for tension between individual expression and group conformity can be exploited by cynical actors to promote divisiveness among the people. The strategy of these would-be autocrats is to promote fear, and the tactics are disinformation and propaganda. As political scientist Karen Stenner wrote in an op-ed piece last year, when triggered by fear, authoritarian personality types are apt to “willingly destroy democratic institutions”.4 In the rubble of that destruction will be found those precious rights and freedoms we have deluded ourselves into believing were sacred.
It is conceivable we are well down the road to becoming an autocratic state, but we’re not there yet. As long as we continue to have elections that are in the hands of the individual states, the ballot box will play a role, especially by putting pressure on our elected officials.* Our First Amendment rights “to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances” mean public protest also has a part to play. To this point, the Federal judiciary has hindered the ability of the Trump administration to rule by fiat, but these legal battles will still need to resolved through the appeals process and the Supreme Court.
In short, we must realize that we are at the beginning of a long, hard fight. Despair and apathy are as much the enemy as are those who seek to replace our republic with an oligarchy. Nothing is totally lost yet, but the institutions of government are being battered. We need leaders to show us the way. The words Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at his first inaugural in 1933 are still appropriate:
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is … fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.
Postscript
(I first posted this on my former blog in July 2016. (Make America SMART Again). I have edited it here for clarity.)
One symptom of this phenomenon is the growth of what I call the Leadership Deficit. Our now-sainted Founders were fearful on one hand of centralized authority and on the other, the passions of the masses. Their solution was to achieve a balance between the two by cobbling together an awkward republican form of democracy, a system dependent upon elected political leaders functioning as interlocutors, balancing popular emotional compulsions with effective public policies that aim for “the greatest good for the greatest number.” Achieving this balance between what is popular and what is good for society frequently requires persuading a majority a particular policy will contribute to the common good. This is the job of our elected political leaders. In crucial moments in the nation’s history, our most effective leaders were those who met the moment. Where are these people- the Washingtons, Lincolns, TRs, FDRs- today? Have our politics become so polluted that capable people of good will avoid public service? Have we, in buying into the misleading premise that the institutions of government are the problem, lost faith in the very idea of government? Or is the popular belief that politicians are either too venal and self-aggrandizing or too ideological, to engage in governance, that animates the public’s cynicism?
What is needed is the popular will to consider issues in their complexity. It is time for the public to become politically aware so they are capable of making informed decisions and of holding our political leaders accountable. It is time for We, the People, to take responsibility.
*I am writing this the morning after Democrat Susan Crawford won election to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in a race where Elon Musk and affiliated groups spent more than $20 million to support the Republican candidate. Crawford’s victory gives the Democerats a 4-3 majority on the Court. It was the most expensive court race in U.S. history. In Florida, Republicans won two special elections to fill two Congressional seats but the margins were much closer than anticipated.
Suggested Reading
The rise of American authoritarianism, Amanda Taub, Vox, May 1, 2016
Karen Stenner is the author of The Authoritarian Dynamic (2005).
Teri Kanefield, an attorney and writer has posted a series of essays on democracy you can read here.
If you would like to support my efforts here, consider becoming a paying subscriber for $5.00 per month. An annual subscription is $50.00 for 12 months.
If you don’t wish to become a regular subscriber, consider contributing occasionally by leaving a tip. Click below:
If you want to submit a piece for 168, please email me at nicrosato2@gmail.com.
And please remember to click the Like button.
Examples of these antiprogressive forces include business interests like the libertarian Koch Brothers and their network: religious activists such as Ralph Reed: founder of the Christian Coalition: conservative legal activist Leonard Leo, who created The Federalist Society to groom conservative attorneys for the Federal bench: anti-taxer Grover Norquist; and social critics like anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly. Besides political action, conservatives moved into media (Fox News, talk radio) and founded think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute.
Madison was a champion of public education. His letter to his friend was to voice his approval for the Kentucky legislature's appropriation of funds for a “general System of Education”.
The words, “In a democracy, people get the leaders they deserve” , are attributed to 19th Century French-Sardinian politician and philosopher Joseph de Maistre.
There is much research into what political psychologists call the authoritarian personality. This term refers not to the authoritarian leader but to those in the population who desire a strong, autocratic leader to preserve unity and conformity when they are triggered by fear. Refer to the Suggested Reading list above to learn more about this topic.
Check out David Pepper's substack post about one way in which our democracy has been corrupted:
https://open.substack.com/pub/davidpepper/p/reminder-they-are-not-public-servants?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
From a former educator's perspective on education, there's a reason why ordinary citizens don't know much about our government and its operations. In Elementary School there are no specific courses or classes mandated except reading, writing and arithmetic. Other components of that general curriculum are optional depending on the socioeconomic status of school district citizens and their elected or appointed school boards. In fairness much of what comes down the pike as emergencies often gets fitted into that curriculum even in abbreviated course syllabi.
In middle schools and junior highs the curriculum is more organized into discrete courses, mostly English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science. Typically schools also have components of fine arts, music and physical education which occur occasionally not daily like the 4 majors. Again these are set by local school boards with certain mandates from State education boards. Whether students change classrooms depends on the size of the school and grade levels within. The (extras) subject to budget limits and teacher availability sometimes include foreign language. In social studies there is some information about government but not civics details.
In high school we have the long-time Carnegie Units of half- and full-year specified courses aimed typically at College Preparation and General Studies. Content is English grammar, speech, reading or literature, and writing; mathematics is Algebra, Plane Geometry, Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry, sometimes basic Calculus; science typically includes general science, basic biology, physics and chemistry; then we have history, which could be Ancient, World, required United States and an elective course. Most College Preps have no room in their schedules for freshman civics, reserved for general students. So more able students take College Prep classes often rigidly assigned, but no American government. General students are not urged to take civics classes where they might learn about local, state and federal government. American History is presumed to give good students enough information to reach a common school board goal: good citizen participation. But you can see there are possible big gaps.
So looking at the education picture, barring someone attending college and taking government courses in the Constitution, Origins of the Federal Government, Federalist Papers, Bill of Rights or the like, many grownups, voters, U.S. naturalized citizens, and suchlike are poorly informed about the structure, interactions, personnel and operations of local, state or federal government.
My own observations about American citizenry is that elections are the most common manifestation of government and ordinarily disinterested citizens treat them like a beauty contest: this one looks like a president, that one talks convincingly about MY ISSUE. Few of them do any research beyond talking to family, friends and neighbors about issues or aims. The exception MIGHT BE education where parent conferences are held at lower levels and issues, aims and finances of a parent's child might be raised considering any problems. Another exception might involve a parent with handicapped, impaired or accelerated needs. Special education and Advanced Placement courses bring parents into school governance to a degree.
It takes an alert citizen, or one who has a problem needing resolution by government, or one who interfaces with bureaucrats ala retirement finances and medicine or who simply wants to ignore or flout laws to become more knowledgeable about government. Judging by the current federal and half the state administrations and legislatures, the problem of government operations is starting to hit ordinary people harder than ever before. Credit Trump administration and Musk DOGE Department of Governmental Efficiency activities for bringing John and Jane Doe into politics lately. I trust it's not too late, that judges have not decided to ignore the law making rulings, few attorneys have given up practicing law with its needs for due process, facts, evidence and legal rulings, one Democratic Party is starting to work to preserve our effective or indispensible agencies and programs.
And many civic organizations continue to sue government on behalf of needy Americans like SPLC Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Defense Fund, Common Cause and LWV League of Women Voters. As long as people can abide their civil rights like Bill of Rights free speech and assembly, right to speedy trial and the like there's a good chance to retain our nation as it was conceived. Abridge those rights wholesale, throw people out of jobs, crash the economy, deport anybody willy nilly and eliminate their public education and we are lost absent civil war, armed insurrection, coups, and the like costing lives.