Wrestling With The Angel Of Democracy: On Being An American Citizen

Griffin, winner of a MacArthur grant and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, demonstrates that ultimately democracy is not only a system of governance, but, in its fullest form, represents a revolution in consciousness that is still unfolding today.

What does it mean to be a citizen of the United States? In this compelling and personal work, Susan Griffin--cultural historian, poet, public intellectual--blends history, cultural critique, and memoir to discover the essence of our democracy. From the Declaration of Independence to the war in Iraq, from Thomas Jefferson to John Muir to Jelly Roll Morton, Griffin charts the rise and fall of the American vision of freedom and equality.
Within the American psyche, Griffin explains, there is an enduring battle between the "psychology of empire," characterized by a desire for safety, order, and control, and the "psychology of democracy," characterized by equality, empathy, and truth-telling. "As a social body," she writes," we are caught between conflicting desires, between the wish for freedom and the desire for order and safety, between the psychology of subjects and the psychology of citizens." Griffin's probing exploration of the history of American democracy is interwoven with sections of memoir exploring her own upbringing and political awakenings as the daughter of working-class parents in 1950s California.
Throughout this unique work--which gives special emphasis to the inner lives of pivotal historical figures--Griffin demonstrates that ultimately democracy is not only a system of governance, but, in its fullest form, represents a revolution in consciousness, one that is still unfolding today. We are still wrestling with the promise of democracy and, as American citizens, are deeply affected by the ongoing struggle between tyranny and freedom.