Guide to Living in a Democracy

This is the story of democracy. It also is the story of the deep aspiration within every human being to be recognized as a valid and worthwhile individual. It is about how that aspiration has been honored - and dishonored - throughout time. It is about how human dignity is essential to the success of civilization. And it is about how simple acts - based on basic principles - can make the world work for all of us. As first expressed in the US Constitution - and later echoed by numerous constitutions around the world - establishing government by and for "We the people" is the main aspiration of democracy. It is to this principle we must continuously recommit ourselves if our democracies are to survive. This is how we move toward a world where we all are recognized for our value as members of society. Looking after our individual needs is a basic human attribute. But at some point people realized that combining efforts toward the common good benefited them and improved their chances of survival. We each have a democratic impulse that recognizes the value of others and wants to collaborate toward what works best for all. We also have an autocratic impulse that prefers authority and is more comfortable leading or being led. In human history, the autocratic side has been prevalent.