Welcome to the Civic Bargain

Historical reflections on keeping America's democracy alive

Here’s our democracy now: angry polarization, extremist tails wagging majority dogs. Political tribes in constant battle, often threatening — and sometimes acting with —real violence. The decline of constructive problem-solving and civil discourse that still respects free speech. Polling regularly shows we Americans’ are broadly dissatisfied with our current system. Many believe we’re watching it break apart. The pessimism is hardening into fatalism about democracy’s death.

But is it really dying? Maybe…nobody knows for sure. But I’m launching this Substack in the spirit of baseball sage Yogi Berra: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”  Our democracy is certainly struggling, but we citizens have the power—if we mobilize and step up—to renew it. 

I want to pry open the gloomy conversations and spark new hope. It’s not too late for rescue—but there’s no time to lose. We’ll have to rediscover Americans’ historical love of country, and start applying our famous practical mindset. We made the problems, and we can fix them. If we rise to the occasion, we can keep our (still somewhat) United States alive and kicking for tomorrow’s generation. 

Turning Today’s Depressing Page

Welcome to the Civic Bargain, a forward-looking riff on America’s continuing democratic experiment. Postings here will expand upon the lessons of the critically-praised book of the same name, which co-author Josiah Ober and I published last year. 

Over decades of collaborative discussions and friendship, Ober (a Stanford Professor of Political Science) and I (a former academic historian and sometime organizational consultant) have been noodling the practices of successful democratic states and other self-governing enterprises. Five years ago, we begain transitioning our conversations into a co-authored book—reflecting how the current pessimism might be turned around.

Photo permission of Princeton University Press

Our 2023 volume reframed the common questions about “democracy’s death” by asking instead: what does history tell us, about how it survives? Analysis and the ideas we offered were seen by reviewers as a refreshing (if cautious) optimistic vision. 

The book’s core argument reimagines democracy as fundamentally a bargain negotiated among citizens—so they can govern themselves as political equals, free of any boss except one another. History shows democracies endure and flourish, if citizens maintain (and keep adapting) the essentials of this “civic bargain.” Citizens choosing democracy must agree to terms about security, welfare, citizenship, institutions, and how as citizens they will work together for the common good. We believe if America’s people rise to the challenge of renewing our civic bargain now, democracy can rebound. 

In this Substack, I’ll be extending this discussion, about the why and how of rebuilding the bargain—looking both back in history and ahead from current events. 

What Does This Substack Offer You?

The Civic Bargain joins a thicket of other media commentary on our troubled democracy. So, what will be different here? Why add this one to your list?

First, here’s what you won’t get from me. No outraged carping or fear-mongering predictions. No pile-on attacks against the political party or media outlet you love to hate. No partisan cheerleading for electoral campaigns. No dreamy visions preaching pure liberalism, avenging conservatism or reborn theocratic governance to end our troubles.

I’m offering a different take: a non-ideological, historically-informed, practical perspective on citizens successfully governing themselves. I’m a political independent who sees pockets of merit on both sides of the political divide. As a crusader for the system overall, I’m looking for readers across the spectrum, of all parties, who long for sensible solutions, even if imperfect. I’ll talk bluntly about democracy’s benefits but also its warts and shortcomings. Democracy is not some potential utopia or extremist struggle over people who disagree with you. It’s a rare construct of human civilization, cobbled together in compromise among people of always differing views. It’s a learn-by-doing living experiment for surviving as a free society. At its best, it strives for continuous improvement and a better life for the broad, more reasonable majority of people who choose to live in an open system while accepting conditions and rules to make it work. And who find ways to change and adapt those when needed.

I’ll be framing my comments with the lessons of past experience. History can help us think and act more wisely, as we wrestle with the changing realities of security, justice and decision-making today. History tell us that negotiation and adaptation is what allows democracies to meet the continuing challenges of change. Bargaining comes with the deal that We the People have made with each other, so we can govern ourselves.

We can help each other renew the bargain to keep our democracy alive. That belief will run through all you’ll read here.

Focusing Themes

This Substack begins where the Civic Bargain book left off. Future posts will focus on three themes:

1. Sharing and extending the book’s key learnings. Look, I know even well-intentioned citizens like you don’t have time to work through a full book. So here, I’ll give you a leg up. You’ll find summaries of the most critical ideas, and examples to help bring them to life. I’ll also be connecting those ideas to what’s happening now, to help you better understand the challenges of today’s American democracy. And finally, I’ll be updating and refining those ideas, taking advantage of feedback and questions posed by the hundreds of people we’ve presented to, in live and virtual forums since last autumn. I’ll welcome your comments and discussions, as future postings roll out. 

2. Highlighting “civic bargain” leaders. This Substack will celebrate the good works of people pursuing “civic bargain” kinds of reform. And with that, I’ll connect you to others who are building a broader movement of constructive change, beyond the  negativity of today’s zero-sum politics. Watch for interviews, profiles, and reports of quiet heroes making a difference on democracy’s front line. 

3. Inspiring and calling you to action. Predictions about democracy’s decline will persist. Strong forces and troublemakers are pulling us apart as a nation—driving us to self-fulfilling defeat. The Civic Bargain wants to keep your hope alive for democracy’s future. I’ll use history’s lessons and current reporting to reinforce that rebuilding democracy here in America is not some abstract “government task” or wish list for someone else to pursue. It’s the work of all of us now. I want to draw you in, and help you see how you too can contribute to the cause.

Looking Ahead

So here we are—this Substack is now live. Join me in rising above the soul-crushing political wars of today. America is better than all that. So, let’s redirect our thinking, towards more constructive renewal. Let’s now face what it’s going to take to rebuild our basic bargain with one another. I hope to see you again in coming weeks.

Photo Credit: Library of Congress