Making Democracy Count

"Democracy is the reoccurent suspicion that when properly informed, more than half of the people are right more than half of the time."--Stephen E. Frantzich, Citizen Democracy: Political Activists in a Cynical Age

More than 200 years ago, our founding fathers based this nation on a radical policy--that all human beings were entitled to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Since the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the United States has been one of the most free nations in the world, and has emerged as a global superpower that is expected to give, at times, moral and humanitarian aid.

The freedom of action that we enjoy, however, also brings with it a freedom of inaction or even negative action. The United States exhibits a paltry ranking (#139) among global democracies in regards to voter turnout; crime in the US remains some of the worst among "First World" nations; our average primary and secondary school students score lower than their international counterparts; and there are more homeless people in the United States at any given moment than the entire population of Finland, Laos, or Uruguay.

President Kennedy once said that "our problems are man made; therefore, they can be solved by man." The people of the world, and the United States specifically, can do so much for these issues, but without dedication, imagination, patience, and endurance, the majority of folks won't even make the attempt. "You can't fight city hall" is a sentiment shared by many that detests people like Professor Stephen Frantzich in his outstanding book Citizen Democracy: Political Activists in a Cynical Age.

Here at the American Leaders Organization, we're in the business of doing things different--with dedication, imagination, patience, and endurance. So we'll pose a seemingly impossible question, and invite you to answer based on your own experiences--

How do you make people interested in changing the world (for the better)? And then, how do you get them to act?

If you've ever put together a drive for a cause you cared deeply about at your university of organization, let us know what you did and how you got people involved. How do you involve people who don't necessarily have a claim staked in your cause (i.e. people with homes helping the homeless)?

Most people who are active in changing society have become active because of a personal tragedy, such as the loss of a loved one. In his book, Professor Frantzich spells out how today's Americans become active in politics and community. However, is it healthy for a society only to change after experiencing tragedy after tragedy?

Comment on this post by clicking below, and tell us your thoughts. Let's start a dialogue that will transcend all nations and all generations.