Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone

By: Astra Taylor

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

There is no shortage of democracy, at least in name, and yet it is in crisis everywhere we look. From a cabal of plutocrats in the White House to gerrymandering and dark-money campaign contributions, it is clear that the principle of government by and for the people is not living up to its promise.  

The problems lie deeper than any one election cycle. As Astra Taylor demonstrates, real democracy - fully inclusive and completely egalitarian - has in fact never existed. In a tone that is both philosophical and anecdotal, weaving together history, theory, the stories of individuals, and interviews with such leading thinkers as Cornel West and Wendy Brown, Taylor invites us to reexamine the term. Is democracy a means or an end, a process or a set of desired outcomes? What if those outcomes, whatever they may be - peace, prosperity, equality, liberty, an engaged citizenry - can be achieved by non-democratic means? In what areas of life should democratic principles apply? If democracy means rule by the people, what does it mean to rule and who counts as the people?  

Democracy's inherent paradoxes often go unnamed and unrecognized. Exploring such questions, Democracy May Not Exist offers a better understanding of what is possible, what we want, why democracy is so hard to realize, and why it is worth striving for.

©2019 Astra Taylor (P)2020 Tantor

Excellent synthesis of politics, philosophy, history, and economics

Astra Taylor has written an accessible and engrossing look at democracy as a historical concept, as a contentious political demand, as a failed aspiration and possible horizon. The book takes us from the slave revolt in Haiti to Occupy Wall Street to the climate crisis that will be inherited by future generations. It is sweeping, yet grounded. A very enjoyable and thought provoking listen.