“Vote: Eyewitness Book” by Philip Steele.
DK Publishing, New York, 2008, 72 pages, Grades 4-8.
The leadership in a democratic society depends upon the will of the governed. Wars have been fought over this concept and many have risked their lives to secure this great gift.
In some countries, people still face coercion and extremism during elections. Voting is the foundational block of the American political system. Unfortunately, Americans all too often take this privilege for granted: in the 2010 national elections, only 45.5% of those capable of voting actually went to the polls and voted. (U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, “Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2010.”)
While sometimes people are unable to get to the polls, these numbers indicate that large numbers of voters are apathetic about the democratic process. Philip Steele has written an excellent book on why we should care about this critical and honored process. The title is, “Vote.”
Steele points out the word “democracy” comes from two Greek words. The first is “demos,” (people) and the second is “kratia," (rule). One of the first early democracies is established in Greece about 450 B.C. The reason that democracies can be effective is because they reflect the will of the people. But this is only possible if the people will participate in voting for its leaders.
In early Greece, the assemblies of the Greek city-states were comprised of citizens throughout the society. They established the principle that law must be founded on popular will. The author points out that this idea continues throughout history and finds itself enshrined in the great English document, “The Magna Carta.” For the first time in English history, the king’s power is limited. This means that the king must rule with the consent of the governed.
Unfortunately, democracies can go awry. During the French Revolution, we see the popular will being viciously used against certain groups in France. Among these were the nobles, the Catholic patriots in the Vendée, and many Royalists. The French Revolution shows that democracies can devolve into “mob rule,” one of the worst forms of tyranny. However, democracies can enable nations to live in freedom. One of the recurring themes of the American Revolution is “no taxation without representation.” The colonists were willing to go into rebellion to secure this basic freedom from Great Britain.
Steele concludes the book with numerous modern day examples of elections throughout the world. In many of these countries, people have even risked their lives to vote in the political process. I would encourage you to go to the library and check out this outstanding book on the formation of democracies and the voting process.
The only way to direct a government in a democracy is to actually participate in the election process. “Vote” will be particularly useful to teachers of social science in Grades 4-8. Similar to other Eyewitness books, this title has wonderful pictures and sidebars depicting elections in the United States and in other countries.
As Philip Steele shows in this fine book, democracy demands that the citizenry engage in governmental elections. I hope you share this fine book with the younger members of your family. This will teach them why voting is so important and why you yourself will go to the polls and vote in the upcoming elections.
