Democracy: A Living Reality

DEMOCRACY is a living, breathing phenomenon, and Erika Benner has dedicated a lifetime to examining the role that ordinary citizens play in its preservation. From her childhood in post-war Japan, where democracy was imposed on a defeated country, to her work in post-communist Poland, this edition draws from her experiences and the deep history of self-governing peoples.

The book revisits some of the most challenging questions we face today: What do the democratic ideals of equality mean in a world obsessed with competition, wealth, and grandeur? How can we hold the powerful accountable? Can we find enough common ground to continue sharing democratic power in the future?

Questioning the familiar myths of heroic triumph over tyranny, Benner reveals the inevitable responsibilities of popular power, inviting us to consider why democracy is worth fighting for and the role each of us must play.

Pages: 224, Dimensions: 13x13cm