faith in ohio briefing book rough

Our Constitution was infused with many practical measures— like the separation of powers—aimed at accomplishing just this end.

But in the 18th century, our founding fathers could not anticipate how campaign finance would become the primary means by which political power is exercised. So, in the 21st century, it is incumbent upon us to follow our Founders’ example and reform campaign finance in such a way that politicians can only serve their own interest—i.e. getting elected—by serving the public’s interest.

To blame America’s democratic impurities wholly on corrupt politicians and corrupt special interests, though, is naïve. In fact, our democracy has a much deeper problem than corruption.

The hard truth is that democracy has never really existed anywhere in the world. Nowhere has an entire citizenry ever built up enough civic capital—broad-based public knowledge and civic activism—to run a real democracy. We falsely idealize democratic pasts—like early America or ancient Greece—which were, more accurately, a small collection of elite individuals pretending to represent the broader public interest. Just the sort of false democracy we have today.

The monumental task of empowering the broader public to meaningfully exercise democracy has never occurred in human history. As political philosopher Roberto Unger describes, “What we have around us is not a system founded on a rational plan. It is not a machine, built according to a blueprint we are able only partly to divine. It is just an institutional and ideological settlement, a partial and temporary interruption of fighting, a compromise not just among group interests but also between group interests and collective possibilities. The discovery that we are dealing with a ramshackle settlement rather than a law like system invites a question. The question is: What is the alternative?”

Like our most cherished faith traditions, the language of ‘democracy’ is everywhere, but the spiritual power of democracy is fading before our very eyes.

How can we resurrect our democracy? We must begin with an honest account of the mess we are in.