President John F. Kennedy said, “Mothers all want their sons to grow up to be president, but they don’t want them to become politicians in the process.”
Let’s forgive President Kennedy for referencing sons only and not daughters.
I would say that the sentiment is probably felt even more strongly now.
How does that change?
How do we have a democratic system where many wonderful people want to run for office and their parents want them to be the politicians they must be to do so?
We need to create a different politics, and we are the ones to bring that about. No one else will do it.
How politics is practiced and those who pursue it arise out of the culture that is in place. It doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
The state of politics is the way that it is because of us, the citizens. It is revealed in the quality and topics of our conversations, the depth of our relationships, and the level of our participation or lack thereof in the activities of governance.
Since we created the way that it is, we can change the way that it is. That’s the power of we the people!
It is useful to realize that in a democracy, politicians typically play a central role, but the concept of "politicians" can vary depending on how democracy is practiced.
A democracy, at its core, is a system of government where power is vested in the people, either directly or through elected representatives. In representative democracies, such as the United States, politicians are elected by the public to represent their interests and make decisions on their behalf. These elected officials, who are considered politicians, are responsible for creating, implementing, and enforcing laws and policies.
Alternative possibilities are available. They are worth considering.
However, democracy does not inherently require traditional politicians as we know them today. In a direct democracy, citizens participate directly in decision-making without intermediaries. For example, in ancient Athens, a form of direct democracy was practiced where citizens gathered to make decisions on public matters. In modern times, some democratic practices include referendums or citizen assemblies, where ordinary people can directly influence legislation or policy without relying on professional politicians.
The presence of politicians in a democracy is mainly a practical solution to managing complex, large-scale societies where direct participation by all citizens in every decision is not feasible. However, the specific roles and the nature of politicians can differ significantly based on the democratic model and how citizens choose to organize their governance.
Ultimately, while politicians are a common feature of many democratic systems, especially representative democracies, they are not a fundamental requirement of democracy itself. The essence of democracy is the participation and power of the people, whether directly or indirectly.
Change will be gradual, but there are ways to bring it about.
At Democracy Is Us, we focus on cultivating a culture that nurtures the democracy we aspire to—one that enhances both our personal well-being and the greater common good.
We become the people who can shape the democracy we truly desire. By becoming better-informed, more engaged citizens, we embrace both the responsibility and the adventure of this journey. This includes:
🇺🇸 Mastering the art of collaborative conversations,
🇺🇸 Strengthening our ability to stand for the democracy we envision,
🇺🇸 Educating ourselves on diverse forms of democracy,
🇺🇸 Participating in activities and causes that inspire us, and
🇺🇸 Contributing to the development and nurturing of ideas from within our community.
Living democracy daily
To preserve and enhance democracy, we embrace it as a way of life, not just an activity during election years.
By Peggy O’Neal, Founder, Democracy Is Us, Inc.
The Open AI - ChatGPT service was used to research and organize this essay.
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