Reviving Democracy

A Message from Cristopher Beem about the upcoming October 13^th program:

Americans are frustrated and deeply concerned about the condition of our democracy. Our divisions are so deep and complete that we don’t see how they can be overcome; we are not sure how our democracy can survive.  A poll released in June by Yahoo News/YouGov finds that a majority of Americans–55% of Democrats and 53% of Republicans –believe it is “likely” that the United States will “cease to be a democracy in the future.” A survey conducted just last month by the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program found that half (50.1%) of all Americans agreed that “in the next few years, there will be civil war in the United States.”

So what do we do about this? Most of us are limited in our political power. We are not rich, we don’t have a high-profile media platform, and nobody cares what we think. But that does not mean we have no role to play in this perilous time. We can recommit to the virtues that make democracy work and commend others when they do the same.

In the book, I lay out the seven virtues we need right now, which can help us combat polarization and improve our democratic culture.

This idea ought to be empowering. At least, I mean it that way. At the least, committing to democratic virtue is a meaningful alternative to despair. And, if enough of us undertake that effort, it is still possible that we can step back from the brink and thereby improve the prospects for democratic reform.