Details

Subject(s)

• Political participation—United States [Browse]
• Deliberative democracy—United States [Browse]
• United States—Politics and government [Browse]

Summary note

• "The story goes that Benjamin Franklin, upon emerging from the Constitutional Convention in 1787, was asked whether the resulting governmental system crafted by the Framers was a republic or a monarchy -- to which Franklin replied, "a republic, if you can keep it." Although some dispute the veracity of this story, the message rings true today - the success of the United States' republican form of government is not guaranteed, and it's the people's responsibility to preserve it. From the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol to stop the ratification of the Electoral College vote, to ongoing legislative battles over voting practices and the fundamental access to the ballot, to the pervasive discomfort of engaging in political discourse, the success of America's "democratic experiment" is in question. Ultimately, it depends on the people who compose it "to keep the republic." Written for those who haven't yet learned them and for those who may have forgotten them, To Keep the Republic outlines the essential elements of democratic citizenship and explains their importance in preserving the republic's health and longevity. The text highlights the multiple facets of democratic citizenship, identifies and explores American democracy's sometimes competing values and ideals as well as the points of resonance and unity, and bridges the gap in understanding between the theoretical and the practical by highlighting and translating relevant scholarship on democratic participation"-- Provided by publisher.
• "American democracy is in crisis. In the midst of multiple attacks on human rights, voting rights, and the US Capitol itself, many Americans feel powerless to save their nation's democratic institutions from the forces seeking to dismantle them. Yet, as founders like Benjamin Franklin knew from the start, the health of America's democracy depends on the actions its citizens are willing to take to preserve it.To Keep the Republic is a wake-up call about the responsibilities that come with being a citizen in a participatory democracy. It describes the many ways that individuals can make a difference on both local and national levels-and explains why they matter. Political scientist Elizabeth C. Matto highlights the multiple facets of democratic citizenship, identifies American democracy's sometimes competing values and ideals, and explains how civic engagement can take various forms, including political conversation. Combining political philosophy with concrete suggestions for how to become a more engaged citizen, To Keep the Republic reminds us that democracy is not a spectator sport; it only works when we get off the sidelines and enter the political arena to make our voices heard. "-- Provided by publisher.

Bibliographic references

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

• To keep the republic
• Thinking like a democratic citizen
• Talking like a democratic citizen
• Voting like a democratic citizen
• Acting like a democratic citizen
• It depends on us.

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ISBN

• 9781978829701 (paperback)
• 1978829701 (paperback)
• 9781978829718 (hardcover)
• 197882971X (hardcover)

LCCN

2023035831

OCLC

1390875346

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