On Freedom

by Timothy Snyder

We link the words democracy and freedom, and rightly so. Freedom is the value of values, and the case for democracy must begin with it. Democracy is the system toward which the forms of freedom lead, the best resolution of freedom as a principle. “We the people” will be sovereign in government only when individual persons are sovereign in their lives. Only the unpredictable voter (in the unrigged district in the unmonetized election) gets the attention of the candidate. A person who is socially mobile will believe that better futures are possible and will vote for the candidate who offers one. A person who expresses solidarity will care about the votes of others; a person who cares about factuality will count the ballots. Democracy remains the best available way to address differences in value commitments. Just as the forms of freedom favor democracy, democracy favors the forms of freedom. Democracy marks sovereignty by establishing the vote as a political coming-of-age. It opens avenues for unpredictable action, since no one knows in advance who will run for office (you could) or who will win a fair election. It promises mobility, since votes can bring policies that change how life is lived. Democracy leaves behind a trail of facts, a record of people ruling themselves. And it expresses solidarity: when the rules are right, all Americans have a voice. The rich and powerful can organize in secrecy; the people as a whole cannot and generally don’t want to.