This story looks at every time the word ‘democracy’ was said or written into the Congressional Record since 1880.
- Each dot represents five speeches or remarks.
- Bright dots are ones that argue American democracy is under threat.
Early on, the word “democracy” was typically used to describe the Democratic party. This would shift in the early-1900s to describe the concept of democracy.
While researching this story, I read a paragraph in Heather Cox Richardson’s book that I can’t stop thinking about.
The concept that humans have the right to determine their own fate remains as true today as it was when the Founders put that statement into the Declaration of Independence, a statement so radical that even they did not understand its full implications. … With today’s increasingly connected global world, that concept is even more important now than it was when our Founders declared that no one had an inherent right to rule over anyone else, that we are all created equal, and that we have a right to consent to our government.
I grew up in an immigrant family, and I was constantly reminded of how powerful these values are. Sure, my family had some allegiance to their home country. Sure, we were constantly reminded of ways in which the country failed to live up to these ideals. However, I was told that we live in a country that is united not by the color of our skin or the origins of our families, but rather a belief in how humans should live together.
Americans have always argued about what it means to strive toward these democratic ideals. This pursuit of democracy is who we are; it’s who we want to be.
If we stop now, who are we as a people?
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