A LITTLE DEMOCRACY IS A DANGEROUS THING

A book by Charles Ferguson, first published in 1948. (Copyright 1948 YMCA with permission to republish via this website for individual use given in 2000)

This book outlines how countries such as the republic of the US are (by definition and in reality) partial democracies without the population majority control over most major decisions effecting their lives. It outlines problems and offers remedies associated case studies.

Written soon after World War II, it points out that threats of the little democracy we have from outside the country (Russia given as the contemporary example) cause preoccupation of our citizens' and government's time, thereby distracting us from furthering the cause of increasing democracy here at home. In effect, homeland security depends on furthering democracy at home as much or more than it depends on protection against threats from other cultures and/or nations.

Most important, after outlining the nature of this danger, the book offers remedies, including case studies of democratic experiments at the local and regional level in the US that have shown promises and successes in actual implementation of democracy, where citizens have taken matters into their own hands, made decisions democratically and rectified problems in their communities, etc.

It then presents further motivation to work towards these remedies, as well as the invention of new ones as appropriate, by pointing out that threats of oppression and harm from outside the country can lead to a political reaction resulting in errosion of democracy, oppression and harm from our own government.

The text is available for free download for individual use (copyright granted from YMCA given in 2000):

(See also and "MESSAGED" BOYCOTT FOR DEMOCRACY: RIGHT TO BOYCOTT, MONEY TRAILS & EFFECTIVE USE TO COMBAT CORRUPTION and Your Economic Vote: Your Influence On Politics And The Economy" for examples of industries with issues and alternative sources.)