How Democratic Is America?

1. How Democratic Is America? By Howard Zinn

2. I. Essay Setting • Written in 1971. • Vietnam War. • Civil Rights movement. • Protests, riots, assassinations. • What’s wrong with American society?

3. Howard Zinn Shortly before his death in 2010 at age 87. Zinn during World War II.

4. Extra Credit Opportunity • Write two paragraphs answering this question: • Who was Howard Zinn? • Email to: rhall@oakparkusd.org • Subj: Zinn, your name, per. #

5. II. Standard definition of democracy • FOUR questions are commonly asked to determine if a country is a democracy:

6. II. Standard definition of democracy (cont.) • #1 Q: Who makes decisions? • A: Elected officials in a representative system. • (a.k.a., a Republic or an Indirect Democracy)

7. II. Standard definition of democracy (cont.) • #2 Q: Who can vote? • A: All adult citizens. • (a.k.a., Universal Suffrage)

8. II. Standard definition of democracy (cont.) • #3 Q: Are individual rights guaranteed? • A: Yes. A Bill of Rights is backed up by government action. • (First 10 Amendments to the Constitution.)

9. II. Standard definition of democracy (cont.) • #4 Q: Is there open competition for office? • A: Yes. There are no arbitrary restrictions on who can run. • (e.g., race, gender, religion, etc.)

10. II. Standard definition of democracy (cont.) • Zinn rejects using this standard definition for TWO reasons: • 1) It doesn’t reveal nearly enough about a country.

11. II. Standard definition of democracy (cont.) • Democracy is too complex to be a simple YES/NO question. YES NO

12. III. Methods of comparison • To find out HOW democratic America is, one might compare it to 3 things: • 1) Other countries. • BETTER THAN BAD GOOD

13. III. Methods of comparison (Cont.) • 2) Our own history. • COMPLACENCY = DEATH OF PROGRESS

14. III. Methods of comparison (cont.) • 3) Perfection; the ideal democracy. • FLAWS!

15. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 1) Representation is undemocratic. • Decisions are made by a small group of ELITES who are out of touch with the masses.

16. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 2) The public often does not have access to accurate and timely information that is vital to good decision-making.

17. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 3) The draft (and war in general) unfairly discriminates against: men. uneducated, young, poor,

18. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 4) Equality before the law does NOTexist. • The legal system favors the rich, the white, celebrities and the conformist.

19. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 5) Resources are not fairly distributed. The working poor do not have access to adequate: 2) clothing, 3) shelter, 1) food, 4) health care, and 5) education.

20. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 6) Children of the wealthy have access to a good education and a chance to go on to college while poor kids often do not.

21. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 7) Everyone has the freedom of expression, but only the wealthy and well-connected get HEARD.

22. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 8) Freedom for individuality is often restricted. • Marijuana is still illegal in many states, and you can still be fired if you are LGBT.

23. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 9) The drive for corporate profit often results in unnecessary suffering and death.

24. IV. Zinn’s 10 criticisms • 10) While protest is necessary to make change happenit is often suppressed by the government.