“The stifling of opportunities for mass participation in America has inevitably meant the throttling of interest in America as such. Social interests have been displaced by selfish interests. The people no longer think as Americans for America. They no longer speak as Americans for America. They speak for their interest cliques. The welfare of their narrow groups completely overshadows any thoughts of national welfare.” AmericaDemocracyParticipationAdvocacyAmerican DemocracyPolarizationPolitical ParticipationNational WelfareSocial Interests Book:Reveille for Radicals Source: Reveille for Radicals
“The job ahead is clear. Every conceivable effort must be made to rekindle the fire of democracy while a few embers yet glow in the gray ashes of the American dream. Once it goes out it may take generations before a new fire can be started. The fire, the energy, and the life of democracy is popular pressure. Democracy itself is a government constantly responding to continuous pressures of its people. The only hope for democracy is that more people and more groups will become articulate and exert pressure upon their government. It is short-sighted to attack the few major pressure groups in this country as “dangerous lobbyists” or “un-American,” for although these pressure blocs are seeking primarily to further their own interests, their organizing and bringing pressures to bear upon the government is participation and democratic activity which is infinitely more American, more democratic than the dry, dead rot of inactivity, of refusing to become involved in pressure groups. When we talk of democratic citizenship we talk and think in terms of an informed, active, participating, interested people — an interested and participating people is popular pressure!” AmericaDemocracyPressureActivismAmerican DreamParticipationAmerican Democracy Book:Reveille for Radicals Source: Reveille for Radicals
“Those who fear the building of People’s Organizations as a revolution also forget that it is an orderly development of participation, interest, and action on the part of the masses of people. It may be true that it is revolution, but it is orderly revolution. To reject orderly revolution is to be hemmed in by two hellish alternatives: disorderly, sudden, stormy, bloody revolution, or a further deterioration of the mass foundation of democracy to the point of inevitable dictatorship. The building of People’s Organizations is orderly revolution; it is the process of the people gradually but irrevocably taking their places as citizens of a democracy.” DemocracyRevolutionActivismCitizenshipParticipationActivistsOrganizingOrganizers Book:Reveille for Radicals Source: Reveille for Radicals
“In the present-day American scene 5 per cent participation is a tremendous demonstration of democracy. This fact is also a tragic commentary on the unbelievable degree of apathy and disinterest on the part of American people. Unless the American people are aroused to a higher degree of participation, democracy will die at its roots — the withering disease of apathy in the roots of democracy will eventually cause its death.” DemocracyVotingApathyParticipationElectionsDisinterest Book:Reveille for Radicals Source: Reveille for Radicals