A Democracy Project: A History, a Crisis, a Movement

A courageous reassessment of the world's most powerful political idea—democracy—and the story of how radical democracy can still transform the United States and the world. A Democracy Project tells the story of the resilience of the democratic spirit and the adaptability of the concept of democracy, and makes a passionate case for the idea that radical democracy is, more than ever, our best hope. In September 2012, with the Occupy Wall Street movement that shook New York City's financial district, hundreds of political forums emerged where ordinary Americans could express their concerns and real problems, without necessarily relying on the rhetoric of political commentators. In doing so, not only did Occupy participants present specific demands and proposals to politicians, but they also offered a glimpse of what true democracy can be, generating a crisis of legitimacy throughout the system. In this book, David Graeber, author of Debt and one of the most influential intellectuals and activists of his generation, takes the reader on a journey through the idea of democracy, provocatively reorienting our understanding of major historical moments, from which he draws lessons for today. Faced with the ever-increasing concentration of wealth and power, a reenergized and reconceived democracy, based on consensus, equality, and broad participation, can still deliver the just, free, and egalitarian society we desire.