Americans agree their democracy is in crisis – yet the solution is as simple as it is elusive
An educated citizenry is the key to making self-government succeed, Founding Father Thomas Jefferson said.
A majority of Americans acknowledge that their democracy is in crisis, with more than a third believing that violence may be necessary to restore it. Despite divisions on many issues, the consensus is clear: the country is facing serious challenges.
Close allies view the U.S. as a threat to peace, while poorly trained federal agents have caused terror in cities through immigration raids. President Donald Trump claims his own morality limits his power, and the Justice Department has become politicized under his administration. Many of Trump's political nominees deny that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
Plato warned of the vulnerability of an unhealthy democracy to tyranny, and the author sees dishonest leaders, declining trust, and a cultural inclination towards violence as symptoms of this scenario. Courts, which research suggests are ineffective at bringing about significant political change, cannot adequately address today's democratic crisis.
To remedy the situation, the author emphasizes that a healthy democracy demands educated citizens, a free press, and an engaged public. However, misinformation and alternative facts have hindered reason in the modern era. Only 1 in 5 Americans believe Republicans and Democrats can agree on basic facts.
Trust in government has plummeted, with only 17% of Americans now trusting Washington to do what is right most of the time. Trust in the media to report accurately and fairly is also at an all-time low, with only 28% expressing a great deal or fair amount of trust in newspapers, television, and radio. Even adults under 30 trust social media as much as they trust national news organizations.
Americans have lost trust in fundamental institutions of democracy and in each other, with only 34% believing most people can be trusted. Meanwhile, 83% of Americans claim the country has strayed from its founding ideals, and 37% think violence may be necessary to restore order.
Historically, when faced with turmoil, Abraham Lincoln suggested seeking change through a more educated citizenry that follows facts and reason rather than base passions. Thomas Jefferson established the University of Virginia to ensure self-government could succeed, as educated citizens are the most consistent predictors of political knowledge and are more likely to vote.
The media, as a source of education and watchdog, is under siege. Trump has called the press an enemy of the people, and there have been over 1,400 incidents of physical violence against journalists, mostly by law enforcement. The Justice Department has subpoenaed journalists and pressured them to testify about their news gathering, chilling reporting.
The true corrective lies with informed voters who can think critically and argue with opponents based on facts. The voters, in turn, get the government they deserve, as politicians tend to represent what voters want. Thus, the corrective starts with a voter who is informed enough to think critically and argue with others based on reason.
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