When Benjamin Franklin was asked after a session of the Constitutional Convention, “What kind of a government have you given us?” he replied, “A democracy, if you can keep it.” Our republic is founded on the principle that it will continue only as long as the people keep democracy alive. Most recent polls indicate that over 70% of Americans are dissatisfied with it.

Threats to democracy and the rise of authoritarian sentiment reflect frustration over half a century of slow-growing living standards for the American working and middle classes. They also reflect cultural fears, especially among some white people, that the U.S. is being transformed, more racially diverse and less religious, with rapidly changing attitudes toward gender, language, and more. Anti-immigration sentiment is on the rise.

In this class we will examine the conditions under which democracies flourish and die, why, since 1960, so many voters seem to have lost faith in our democracy, and how it can be restored. Like Humpty Dumpty, our democracy needs a boost.

There will be articles assigned for each class. Each session will involve a presentation by the Study Leader with ample opportunity for discussion and debate.