Some political theorists believe the American model of governance should work well. To these pundits, the big problem is the people who don’t understand civics. If so, when we improve the public’s knowledge, democracy will work better. Right?
I recently watched a PBS documentary about a civics contest called Citizen Nation. This contest pits high school teams across the USA to compete against each other in their knowledge of how government works:
I have also watched a few episodes of Civics Bowl, sponsored by KSPS, the Spokane affiliate of PBS. This contest pits teams from high schools in Spokane, Washington. Let’s just say the Spokane teams did not make it to the national finals for good reason.
PBS and other benefactors are sponsoring these local contests across the USA to improve the collective knowledge of civics. We need to ask whether this approach is working well or not.
While we may need a couple of decades to get that answer if these high school students are uplifting themselves and the people around them for better politics, I’m going to make my prediction right now.
Dave’s Assessment
I’m not optimistic that these contests will bring a better democracy for the USA. To make my point, here are a couple of questions from Civics Bowl:
The 13 colonies had three different types of government structures. Name two of the three.
Elected members of the legislative branch are protected from criminal or civil liability while performing official duties. Name the three exceptions.
I’ll stop at these two. The rest of the contest follows a similar line of contest questions:
These questions are quite esoteric. They are designed for elite students. While I don’t see anything wrong with these students memorizing this minutia, how does this knowledgeable spill over into the general public?
Sorry, I can’t see Tony the Truck Driver or Wilma the Waitress becoming more knowledgeable about civics because these elite kids get to play a TV game. I don’t see this contest as teaching Tony and Wilma to better analyze American politics through an improved lens.
If we are to teach Tony and Wilma the basics of civics, would it not be better to offer such a course at the high school level? Teach them about separation of powers, check & balances, introducing a bill and turning it into law, free speech, arresting and prosecuting suspected criminals, etc. Make this a course for easy credits, so the kids who are not of an academic stream can learn the basics. Knowledge from this course will last the rest of their lives. Maybe they will be better voters.
Maybe even offer adults a $500 stipend to take this course at their local college. Not a bad investment for democracy, right?
Of the pundits for better civics training who I have encountered are more concerned about citizens not understanding the basics about civics rather than the minutia. These PBS contests are not in line with these pundits.
The dangers with these civics contests
When watching these contests, I get two impressions.
First, American democracy is very complex. So many rules. Many rules. More rules. For Tony and Wilma, their impression would be that they will never be able to participate in American democracy. So why should they bother? If anything, these contests are furthering the American divide between an educated elite and everyone else. It’s not hard to understand when a populist politician tells them that he will cut through the silly rules, they will give their support to that politician.
Second, these contests give the impression that American democracy is actually working quite well. The general public only needs to understand the system better. So we can blame the failing of democracy on those who don’t understand civics. We can blame Tony and Wilma. But as we are blaming someone else, democracy is falling.
The results speak for themselves
Need I remind everyone that the first Trump presidency was inept? The second is shaping up to be less competent? If American democracy was truly working well, Mr. Trump should have been cast aside in the Republican primaries in 2016. Am I not right?
Need I remind everyone that Joe Biden was probably the most experienced politician in 50 years to assume the presidency? He knew the culture of Congress and many of its players. If there was anyone to champion a liberal/progressive cause, he was the man! Yet from my side of my Canadian computer screen, I saw the Biden administration flounder in its first two years, just like we would expect from a rookie. While there was more action in the last two years, Americans were not impressed, as evidenced by November 5, 2024. If Joe Biden can’t make American democracy work for Tony and Wilma, then who can?
The results speak for themselves. These PBS civics contests are only whitewashing the flaws of American democracy.
Civics & the TDG
I am an inventor of an alternative democracy: Tiered Democratic Governance (TDG).
It will be incumbent upon the elected bodies of the TDG to invest some time and energy into teaching the public about this democracy. This education will happen as the TDG is starting, is growing, and eventually takes over authority and responsibility for governance. For example, the TDG will be forever teaching the citizens about voting for good character and capacity for governance. These are lessons Tony and Wilma can apply to casting their TDG vote. And they will be making wiser votes as time passes.
There is another educational opportunity the TDG can provide. Sometimes the best way to learn something is to jump right in and do it. The TDG will bring many more people into governance than any western democratic model. Many more citizens will get first-hand experience in TDG governance. For them, TDG democracy becomes more real, not something theoretical — and unattainable.
And Tony and Wilma just might be elected into the TDG. If they have a flair for consultation, consensus, and collaboration, they might even rise higher.
Published on Medium 2024
