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Published 11 years following the success of “Race Matters,” Cornel West penned another series of essays, this time focusing on democracy. “Democracy Matters” indeed discusses the matters of democracy, through a familiar structure as “Race Matters.” West looks at a handful of poignant aspects of contemporary political issues, discusses their pitfalls and advocates for a deeper engagement of humanity, one that has been largely steamrolled by anti-democratic institutions, racism, imperialism, free market fundamentalism and capitalism, all of which we’ll cover in this “Democracy Matters” review.
“Democracy Matters” offers a lot more depth than “Race Matters,” both in the length of the book as well as the length of the arguments West makes.
The departure point for “Democracy Matters” is the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the raging national debate on a new war in the Arab World that followed. West spends a great deal of the book talking through this lens, a post-9/11 lens where the impact is felt and the urgency to recover is palpable. West focuses namely on the U.S., Israel, and the “Middle East” (he focuses only specifically on Palestine while referring to other countries as Arab Nations) as sites of critique, as well as case studies for democracy.
“Democracy Matters” reads, unfortunately, as an uninterrogated look at democracy. West describes the general morals and ideals of democracy, but all of the case studies are Western and in nations that were founded on genocide, occupation or slavery (Greece, the U.S., Israel). This scope could lead one to wonder whether democracy works for everyone and if it’s meant to be the universal standard societies should work toward.
‘Democracy Matters’ Summary: Lengthy, Historical, Disjointed
The impetus for “Democracy Matters” is what Cornel West identifies as a fragile collapsing of truly functional government democracy, as well as functional democratic ideologies.
He discusses at length the 9/11 attacks and how that event springboarded a lot of authoritarian and surveillance practices, as well as bolstered an Islamophobic sensibility. West points out how Islamophobia rose immensely post-9/11, resulting in a major social attitude that dubbed it as the appropriate response to the attacks and therefore patriotic to the country. Islamophobia became a new unifying force in America, another collectible on the shelf, next to communism, next to anti-Black racism, next to indigenous genocide. He points out that America routinely uses scapegoats to not only build a national image or justify its own militarism or domestic police. However, West reserves the usage of “barbaric” to describe the actions of “Islamic fundamentalist gangsters” and “Palestinian suicide bombers” while repeatedly using “inhumane” and “concerning” to describe the actions of the state of Israel in relation to the treatment of Palestinians.
Cornel West builds upon his diagnosis of nihilism as the major crippling and demobilizing force in the U.S. by applying that lens to the formation of America’s democracy. He analyzes three variations of nihilism in politics and their historical arcs. He turns to discussing the democratic legacy of people like Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, JFK and LBJ. He also cites legislature like the Great New Deal as democratic acts and reads America’s implementations of democratic values through the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates. A Socratic view of democracy runs through a great deal of “Democracy Matters.”
The length of the chapters leads to the disjointment as well as the less than strong arguments. In the chapter, “The Crisis of Christian Identity in America,” West interrogates the versions of Christianity in America and their entanglement with democracy, which versions of Christianity to avoid and how to love and seek justice radically. However, there isn’t a clear argument about the relationship America can or should have with Christianity.
The last half of “Democracy Matters” focuses on youth culture and visioning a democracy for the future of the U.S.
Lastly, West addresses the very public controversy between himself and Larry Summers, the former president of Harvard University who somewhat oversaw his ousting or his leaving, depending on who you ask. Cornel West recounts the kind of blow-by-blow sequences of events in the context of supporting youth culture, inside academia and out, leading to a bit of disjointed argument and a budding of his ego.
The chapters in “Democracy Matters” are lengthy; West puts forth a lot of historical case studies — either people or movements — that he builds upon to either critique or use as a model to strengthen democracy that can be adapted for a future America, one that is less divided than the post 9/11 one.
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Audience and Genre: Again, Liberals
“Democracy Matters” is an ambitious follow-up to “Race Matters.” It is much more meaty, lengthy, and goes far in depth to issues of religion and democratic governance. The audience of “Race Matters” may find reading this to be more cumbersome, but walking away with the same sense of West-isms: analysis of popular political issues from a liberal lens, a reference to his great historical figures, and an argument for greater depth that can inform a better way of being or practice.
This book could work for a 102 political science audience. So rather than 101 introductions to racial or political studies, this book functions as its own graduation.
Cornel West seems to be writing to a much more timid, centrist audience, one he has to call in with a broader subject of “democracy” over race. He also writes about big, somewhat common denominator systems of religion to draw in more religious audiences to accept some critique, while also relaying a great deal of praise of Judaism and Christianity.
For example, West begins the chapter, “The Crisis of Christian Identity in America,” by discussing a part of paradoxical Christian history where Constantine was himself a Christian but strategically, forgoing Jesus’s message of utmost love and kindness. As such, Christianity as a tool of institution has fortified systems of power such as slavery, genocide and abuse, from its very beginnings. West refers to this brand of Christianity as Constantinian Christianity and points out how it has been woven into America’s founding and identity, and as such, American Christianity.
West distinguishes between American Christianity and prophetic Christianity, which he notes is rooted in justice and community building. West cites the acts of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement as an example of a Christian-rooted movement for Justice via publication, shelter, calling for rights for poor and working people, food and soup kitchens and more. What West leaves out is the lukewarm position the Catholic Worker Movement had on issues of race.
West’s ideas of democracy and justice are exclusively Western-based and make very little critique of white supremacy, which would affirm many white and non-Black liberals, and perhaps give a break to Black readers who are averse to racial conflict or antagonism.
“Democracy Matters” hasn’t aged well, especially in the wake of the ongoing genocide in Palestine. The third chapter of Democracy Matters is titled “Forging New Jewish and Islamic Democratic Identities.” West spends a significant number of pages tracking the expulsion and persecution of Jewish people, as well as the “invention of the prophetic” from Judaism, while very little credit or insight is offered from the Qur’an, as well as little context is given about the cooperation between Muslims and Jews in Palestine before the establishment of Israel.
While he lists contemporary Muslim authors and thinkers, they are listed much more than they are engaged with. West continues to boldly and and in clear terms condemn violence from the Palestinians (never framed or understood as resistance) and uses special, reserved and considered language to discuss Israel.
“The major obstacle to peace in the region is the autocratic rule of Arab elites and their support, whether explicit or implicit, of anti-Jewish terrorism–the heinous terrorism of suicide bombers has dealt a devastating blow to peace but the special relationship between the United States and Israel and Israeli violence against the Palestinians have also played crucial roles in the deepening of the conflict.”
Heinous terrorism versus special relationships and violence.
One has to ask who is considered a terrorist, and who is to blame?
Lastly, West demonstrates an inconsistency, particularly in his historical citation. Throughout the book, West traces Judaism, Christianity and democracy to their origins, thousands of years ago, but makes no mention of the 1948 Nakba or the early 20th century formations of Zionism.
Three Cs: Compelling, Clear, Concise
Editorial Note: We believe these three factors are important for evaluating general writing quality across every aspect of the book. Before you get into further analysis, here’s a quick breakdown to clarify how we’re using these words:
- Compelling: Does the author consistently write in a way that would make most readers emotionally invested in the book’s content?
- Clear: Are most sentences and parts of the book easy enough to read and understand?
- Concise: Are there sections or many sentences that could be cut? Does the book have pacing problems?
Compelling: Somewhat
“Democracy Matters” is compelling based on its historical analysis. Cornel West explains his position in greater detail and provides more compelling case studies around democracy. For example, West expands on the ideals of democracy by writing about two great democratic thinkers and leaders in his view: Ralph Waldo Emerson and Herman Melville. West cites Emerson’s work generously, connecting his speeches and written works to exemplify Emerson’s ideals of democracy that included a disengagement from individualism and materiality, and a reinvestment in thinking and imagination. He turns to Melville to exemplify how racism inhibits democracy, and multi-racial solidarity in his eyes offers a path forward.
What was compelling in this collection of essays was the emphasis and demonstration of how being democratic means having imagination, being flexible and able to revise. This form of democracy can battle nihilism because it puts one in the driver’s seat. Emerson’s ideas about personal practices of democracy and justice allow for some style to come. Contemporary politics can have a high barrier to entry, making the participation overall somewhat scripted. More personal definitions of justice (that are rooted in love and humanity) for West and Emerson focus on more participation and more opportunities for justice.
What readers may also find compelling is a healthy critique of American Christianity, which follows the very convoluted and biased critique of “fundamentalist” versions of Judaism and Islam.
Overarching, there is a deep belief in the potential of America but not too much interrogation of whether America should be an authority on democracy or justice.
Clear: Suffering From Poor Structure
Cornel West retains his accessible writing and the conviction that comes through. The sentences are clear, as are the arguments he sets up. What isn’t so clear is West’s points. Perhaps the most poorly structured chapter in “Democracy Matters” is the second to last one titled “The Necessary Engagement with Youth Culture.”
The beginning of this chapter starts with a very outdated reading of young people: “School-age girls giving boys blow jobs because it will make them ‘cool’; and the way in which so many kids have become addicted to going online and instant messaging or creating Weblogs in which they assume an alternate personality. This disgraceful numbing of the senses, dulling of the mind, and confining of life to an eternal present- with a lack of connection to the past and no vision for a different future-is an insidious form of soul murder. And we wonder why depression escalates and suicides increase among our precious children.” …“The most dangerous mode of dealing with this bombardment is addiction–to drugs, alcohol, sex, or narrow forms of popularity or success. These addictions leave little room or time for democratic efforts to become mature, concerned about others, or politically engaged in social change.”
West then shifts to hip-hop as a form of resistance. He spends time charting different revolutions of hip hop and neo-soul, commending artists (mostly male references) on the ability to speak truth to power and to indict, on clear terms, systems that continue to harm and take from Black people.
West notes that there is an irony of course that takes place with the commercialization of such a political art form, putting misogyny and sexualization at the forefront. This aside, West affirms that hip-hop is defiant of the older generation in many ways, and then goes on to describe his rap album where he’s tried out the art form:
“Our aim is to teach youths the prophetic history of black music and to reveal to them the political foundations of hip-hop. We build bridges between the older and younger generations by speaking directly to them and performing with them in their own idioms and styles. These CDs are danceable education for artistic and political ends. In this way, democracy matters are woven into hip-hop culture in a respectful yet critical manner.”
The mention of his album supports his efforts and argument that outreach and community work must be done outside of the classroom.
There is then an awkward shift from the discussion of his album to re-hashing, blow by blow, his public departure from Harvard University and the public fallout with the new president, Larry Summers. West spends eight pages recounting the clashes, the scrutiny he was under as an academic, as well as a public individual with other endeavors, including a rap album, and how that led him to leave Harvard University and rejoin Princeton. West names all the publications that wrote about the incident and how they either got it wrong or failed to speak with him. He then ends the chapter, rather abruptly, by declaring that young people must know that we care for them and will fight for them, to keep the democratic experiment alive, to tie the chapter together.
The clarity of some of West’s points are hampered either by ego or by length.
Concise: Not Really
“Democracy Matters” is a longer book (about 230 pages) for something that can be considered “popular education” or “pop political science.” While West spent more time with different ideas or ideas to forge a model, it often felt like it was dragging on. There was a great deal of citation, but only to make arguments that again, were not very remarkable, and generally all towed the same line.
Prose Style: Interplay Between West and Those He Cites
The writing style and prose are accessible. Cornel West’s strength is in his ability to diagnose and critique a particular problem. In “Democracy Matters” West is better able to integrate the ideas of those he cites with his ideas of democracy, or prophetic leadership or anti-nihilistic practices.
He is often holding up contemporary systems of governance, whether it be democracy or spirituality or organized religion, to ideals of democracy most formally laid out by Socrates.
There isn’t anything in his writing form that stands out particularly, but what does come through is West’s passion, and desire to compel the reader. He writes with emotion and urgency that can appeal to a reader’s sense “things are really twisted, how can we respond?,” to which West answers a sense of self-love, and commitment to democracy, and therefore a commitment to one another.
Cultural and Political Significance: Interesting Idea, Ironic Execution
“Democracy Matters” as a follow-up to “Race Matters” makes a great deal of sense. It’s a deeper dive, a subject that is intrinsically tied to race, but may reach liberals or non-Black people who are too ‘intimidated’ by a racial politics book.
By tracing democracy through ancient Greece and philosophy and focusing on the “democratic” project of America (a country founded by and for white slaveholders) and allies like Israel (a state founded upon occupation and Zionism), there is a massive implication that the West is an authoritative figure on justice and governance, and other religions and cultures are not eligible to this, nor have contributed in positive ways.
The critique of Israel and its occupation of Palestine can be considered clear (especially along the terms of funding). However, any critique of Israel since its formation has quickly been construed as anti-semitism, making any criticism difficult to publish or discuss.
Cornel West’s immense lack of Palestinian history or Islamic history demonstrates how his lens is very affected by what is legible to the West, and Israel has upon its inception been understood and supported as a democratic state and an ally and friend to the West.
What is perhaps significant is the religious work done in the book, particularly the interesting and historical analysis of Christianity. Making distinctions between Constantinian Christianity, American Christianity, Black Christianity and true(r) ideals of Christianity demonstrates West’s care for the subject. He spends a great deal of time forging overlaps between the ideals of justice and ideas of religion, even as their relationship going forward (and the role of secularism) is made unclear by West.
Critiquing the Critics: They Are Still Right
Michael Eric Dyson’s piece, “The Ghost of Cornel West,” thoroughly evaluates West’s career and writings, generously and from the point of view of a former friend and mentee. In regards to “Democracy Matters,” he writes, “West has repeatedly tried to recapture the glory of that slim classic by imitating the 1960s-era rhythm and blues singers he loves so much: Make another song that sounds just like the one that topped the charts. In 2004, West published Democracy Matters, an obvious recycling of both the title and themes of his work a decade earlier. It was his biggest seller since Race Matters.”
These critiques ring true. This collection of essays reaches for a bigger, broader and therefore most liberal audience to follow the first success. The analysis is lengthy but doesn’t necessarily aid any new or breakthrough ideas. “Democracy Matters” suffers from the same issue of diagnosis and solution, where the diagnosis is semi-predictable (two dueling and failing ideologies) and the solution is suggestive (more prophetic leaders, more love, more actual democracy).
The final chapters of the book fall apart, with the retelling of his leaving Harvard University sandwiched in a chapter about supporting young people, and a final chapter about putting on democratic armor to defend ourselves, seemingly Americans, in a post-9/11 setting. Within an early 2000s context, the impulse, desire or felt need for armor can be understood, as it changed quite a lot about the country physically (surveillance, airports, violence/hate crimes), as well as socially (nationalistic attitudes, wars, journalist practices). West also acknowledges that some of Americans’ greatest threats are domestic — that being increasing and extractive capitalism, racism, homophobia, etc.
However, even in a post 9/11 America, the U.S. has always been a force of war and extraction. Compared to the people of the nations oppressed by the U.S., I can’t imagine that Americans require armor as the country with the most military bases in the world and — in the words of West’s most cited leader, Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr — “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.”
Reviewer’s Personal Opinion: Very Imperial Book for Something That is Allegedly Against Imperialism and Anti-Democratic Ideas
I found myself quite frustrated while reading this book, unsure if Cornel West is winning by upsetting me. But maybe I’m asking the wrong person for certain ideas. Maybe it’s like going to the ice cream place and asking to buy a smoothie. It’s close, but they are not the same.
West is firmly liberal, but cannot be considered radical, even as his reputation may suggest as much.
What may be evident from this review is the disturbing colonial discourse and contemporary racist discourse West uses to either condemn Palestine or homogenize Arab nations. West engages generously with Judaism and definitions of justice from the religion in a chapter that is about Jewish and Arab relationships, very obviously leaving out any comparable level of engagement with the teachings of the Qu’ran or practices of Muslims. Similar to “Race Matters,” West calls for renewed solidarity and coalition building with Jewish and Black people in the U.S. as a means of democratic health, and again, glaringly omits any call for solidarity with Muslim brothers and sisters as a pathway for democracy. It reads almost like an overcompensation for the slight critique of Israel and a necessary indictment post-9/11. In all those mental gymnastics and performances, once again, Palestinians and other non-white people from the global south are sidelined, maligned, and grouped as one group whose only redeeming actors are those who demonstrate a sense of democracy to the West.
He writes, “The ultimate irony may be that the most fertile seeds for democracy matters in the Islamic world can be found in the civic life of the Palestinians and Kurds–the most subjugated peoples in the region, forced to survive and thrive without a nation-state. Beneath the autocratic rule of Arafat looms a vital network of norms and trust that could give birth to democratic practices in the aftermath of Israeli occupation. Ordinary Palestinians could well be the most democratically inclined Muslims in the world. They have been used by Arab elites to trash Israel and compete for imperial American aid and attention. These same Palestinians may be democratic pioneers who inspire the democratization of the Islamic peoples in the region.”
It’s unclear what is so ironic about this statement, but what is ironic is the citation of Edward Said at the beginning of this chapter only to completely ignore his work and continuously “other” Palestinians as a group of people only worthy of attention and sympathy based on their legibility to the West.
West also is concerned with the “modern” identity of Islam, and continuously reads the religion through a Western lens, trying to make a ‘fit’.
“The key to Socratizing Islam is to understand precisely what kinds of authority present-day clerical Islam was a response to and to show that the new democratic Islamic responses to clerical Islam can promote Islamic aims in a more spiritually and politically effective manner.”
The need to Socratize Islam is very unfounded, and begs the question of why can’t this ancient religion with varying iterations be translated without the aid of Greek philosophy.
“Democracy Matters” is also woefully inadequate when it comes to a serious engagement with the politics of imperialism. If all your examples of democracy and justice overlook race, then what does that say about the past, present and future of Black people? From Socrates to the Catholic workers’ movement, these ideas and people did not center any critique of white supremacy. West’s only other examples are Black prophetic Christian leaders like David Walker, Benjamin E Mays and Ida B Wells-Barnett. Again, these people are listed and briefly described rather than thought alongside with.
For all the mention of blues and jazz and MLK, the most ironic omission is Malcolm X. Perhaps one of Malcolm’s most famous lines could have served West well:
“If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”
This is evident in the discourse used with Palestinians, but even in the closing of the book itself. West suggests that “democratic armor” can “absorb any imperial and xenophobic blows yet still persist.”
The West doesn’t seem very capable of receiving xenophobic blows, as a major empire and purveyor of xenophobia.
‘Democracy Matters’ Review: Not Worth It Unless You’re Into a Brief History of Religion and Broad Ideas of Democracy in America
“Democracy Matters” offers historical case studies and analysis on the formations of democracy as well as the ways Christianity has been warped by nihilism, and social and political culture has been warped by capitalism.
However, when it comes to insightful ideas about how to strengthen democracy, this political science book comes up short in its offerings.
“Democracy Matters” ranks lower for us than “Race Matters” because it doesn’t hold up on its own. The structuring of the book, the choices of language that read as very biased, and the long length that doesn’t always help drive home a point all contribute to a weaker book, as well as a weaker follow-up to “Race Matters.”
Read our full “Race Matters” review. Then, read our in-depth “Black Prophetic Fire” review.
‘Democracy Matters’ FAQs
What is ‘Democracy Matters’ by Cornel West about?
“Democracy Matters” by Cornel West is a critical examination of the state of democracy in America. He explores how imperialism, racism, and materialism threaten democratic ideals. West argues that democracy is in peril due to the rise of corporate power, cultural decay, and political apathy. He advocates for a return to deep democratic principles, calling for social justice, moral integrity, and active engagement in public life to combat the forces that undermine true democracy.
What are Cornel West’s views in a nutshell?
Cornel West’s views emphasize the importance of social justice, racial equality, and moral responsibility in both politics and everyday life. He critiques capitalism, imperialism, and systemic racism, arguing that these forces harm marginalized communities and erode democratic values. West advocates for compassion, solidarity, and civic participation to achieve a more just and equitable society.
When was ‘Democracy Matters’ published?
“Democracy Matters” was published in 2004, 10 years after Cornel West’s first book, “Race Matters”.
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