US historians urge citizens to defend democracy
Washington, July 6
As the United States marked the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, two of the country's foremost historians urged Americans to draw strength from their past and take personal responsibility for safeguarding democracy, arguing that the nation's deepest divisions have always been overcome through civic engagement and resilient leadership.
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin during an interview on NBC's Meet the Press reflected upon America's democratic journey as the nation celebrated its milestone anniversary.
Burns said history offers perspective at a time when many Americans are anxious about the country's future.
"History is our best teacher, and it can be a helpful guide for everybody, no matter your disposition, political orientation, age, whatever it is," he said. "History can be an incredibly important way to digest the present and then figure out what your response is and to imagine a future together."
He argued that while political divisions dominate today's public discourse, the United States has endured even greater crises in the past.
"We are really divided, but we were way more divided then, way more divided during the Civil War, way more divided during the Vietnam period," Burns said. "I see that division as sort of a mile wide but an inch thick."
Burns also reflected on the constitutional system created by the country's founders, saying they deliberately designed safeguards against the concentration of power.
"They put as Article I, not the executive. That's Article II. The executive's the manager who carries out the wishes of the Congress," he said. "I think if the founders came here, they would not be surprised at all that somebody was seeking more authoritarian power. They would be abjectly disappointed that Article I, the legislative branch, had abdicated so much of the power."
Despite current political tensions, Burns remained optimistic about the country's future.
"We have built in, in our system, the mechanisms for repair and the restorations that I think are central to the response to this moment," he said. "We have a chance to sort of reconcile this. And why not take the path of reconciliation rather than the drama, the needless drama of further disunion?"
Goodwin echoed that message, arguing that history provides reassurance during difficult periods.
"We're living in a tough time right now, but history can give us perspective, it can give us solace. I really think it can give us hope," she said, recalling the Civil War, the Great Depression and the Second World War as moments when Americans also faced uncertainty but ultimately emerged stronger.
She said democracy depends not only on elected leaders but also on ordinary citizens who believe they can shape the country's future."When I think about these movements for social justice, it always starts with individuals feeling that they can make a difference," Goodwin said. "If we feel changes are needed, it's going to come from us, the citizens."
Goodwin suggested that a national service programme could help bridge political, regional and social divides by bringing young Americans together around common civic goals. She warned that democracy would be at risk if citizens increasingly viewed one another as "the other" rather than as fellow Americans.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Ken Burns and Doris Kearns Goodwin are right - democracy requires active citizens, not just leaders. As someone who's studied Indian democracy, I see parallels: both our nations have survived crises because ordinary people cared. But the comment about Article I and legislative abdication is spot-on. In India too, we've seen executive overreach when Parliament doesn't assert itself. We should learn from each other's mistakes.
I appreciate the optimism, but let's be real: "history as a teacher" doesn't help when people refuse to learn from it. The article mentions the Civil War and Vietnam - but those were resolved with terrible cost. Today's divisions in America feel different, more tribal. And honestly, India faces similar challenges with communalism and polarization. We all need more than just history lessons; we need structural changes to reduce inequality and misinformation.
The point about the founders designing Article I to be primary is crucial. In India too, we have a parliamentary system where the legislature is supposed to be supreme. But when the executive controls the majority, the separation of powers gets blurred. Burns is right - both our nations need to rediscover the importance of legislative independence. Otherwise, democracy becomes a facade.
I found the comparison with the Civil War and Vietnam a bit hollow. Those were crises that unified Americans against external or internal enemies. Today's divisions are between fellow citizens who can't even agree on basic facts. In India, we face similar echo chambers. The "reconciliation" path Burns mentions is noble but seems naive without addressing the root causes - economic anxiety, social media manipulation, and declining trust in institutions.
M < We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.