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Richard Haass’ book “The Bill of Obligations” dedicates itself to preserving democracy and applauds those who put the country before their party or self-interest. Indeed, he writes that the gravest threats to democracy’s survival come from within and what could become irreparable divisions.
Moreover, the deterioration of democratic ideals in the United States could be a precursor of what could happen globally, giving oxygen to totalitarian states like Russia. “If democracy fails here, democracy will be endangered everywhere.”
Haass is the president emeritus of the nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations. He served under one Democratic and two Republican presidents. This country has been a sanctuary for immigrants fleeing persecution or seeking economic opportunity — an experiment that has no guaranteed ending.
“The United States, the world’s oldest democracy, is not immune to democratic backsliding, a trend worldwide over the past two decades,” Haass writes. “What we don’t know yet is whether what happened in late 2020 and early 2021 was an aberration or a precedent.”
Democracy is an imperfect form of government. Despite the country’s proclamation that “all men are created equal,” it still struggles with mass inequality based on race, gender and wealth. However, the American system certainly beats an authoritarian-style regime where critics are imprisoned or killed. U.S. presidents don’t rule by decree.
Haass came of age during the 1960s, when widespread protests over the Vietnam War and civil rights resulted in two political assassinations — one of the most trying times in U.S. history. Yet, the country rebounded. There’s a “social contract” between the government and the governed, which accepts some limits on freedoms in exchange for social order and physical security. However, elected leadership requires sacrifice and those who seek the greater good.
Haass wrote that the most conspicuous contradiction of those national values has been the rejection by some of the 2020 presidential election results, calling the contest “overwhelmingly free and fair.”
Violence can occur in many forms. While a second civil war is improbable, armed and decentralized groups linked by social media could organize. When asked if he opposed physical attacks, Haass said without hesitation that political violence is never acceptable. “History is replete with examples of democracies that died.”
The ultimate question is whether the country can heal its divisions and move forward. The nation rebounded after Nixon resigned, turning next to Jimmy Carter, who became the symbol of virtuosity. But Carter, too, was challenged, giving his Crisis of Confidence speech that paid homage to the people’s loss of faith in their government.
The United States recovered once again, going on to unparalleled prosperity. However, the 2001 attack on the World Trade Towers and Pentagon, followed by the Great Recession, further tested American resilience. As before, the nation slowly lifted itself and regained a sense of purpose. Many folks got left behind, leaving them prey to populist politicians.
Michael Hogg, a professor of business law at Tulane University, said history has often been unkind to the unprincipled and unrepentant. In a robust democratic society, there may be painful moments, but ultimately, the greater good prevails. A weakened democracy, in contrast, lacks those safeguards.
To that end, the United States has persevered for 248 years. With its wealth of human, intellectual and financial resources, we have set the fundamental elements to allow the nation to recover and continue a tradition of goodwill and prosperity.
Such a rebound is not a given. Haass says the framers designed the American system for 3 million people — about 1 percent of the current population.
Today, the political process rewards extremism. The author suggests open primaries where candidates must moderate their views to win a consensus. However, he places responsibility on voters to inform themselves and on schools to give kids a good understanding of civics, civility and American history — to discern fact from fiction. Debate is healthy, but deceit and dishonesty are not.
Haass said that while politicians may not always be responsible, they are consistently responsive — a characteristic that can lead them to elevate the national interest above all else.
