What does the future hold for us as we approach 2026, the 250th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence?

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Dupont Summit on Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy

Friday, December 1, 2023
Historic Quaker Meeting House / Washington, DC

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This is not a classic propaganda broadcast or even America’s Radio Free Europe or Radio Liberty during the Cold War; it is the work of a Nation. This Modest Proposal models itself after the conversations leading up to America's Revolutionary War and struggles to build a Nation.

The Forum on Democracy is in the social transformation business. I found these 15 guidelines documenting the characteristics of complex social systems as the "truck drivers guide" (simple, thank you, Robert) when entering the foreign domain of living systems.

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How do we arrive at truth?

Recently, in a Forum message there was a quote from J. Edgar Hoover, founder of the FBI, "I never met a criminal who was not a liar." Lately, there has been a lot of lying in American political discourse. Have we come to accept it, under the guise of "balance" perhaps?

Individual stories artfully curated from a people's own heritage and direct experience will form a core section of our participatory MEDIUM of exchange. But the overarching voice of the voiceless is allowing democracy to speak for itself. The Forum will become the crucible of experimentation of giving voice to democracy.

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The Founders believed in the wisdom of the American people and in the idea that their voice must be heard and heeded by those in power. Today, that voice is not being heard.

What is The Forum on Democracy?

The Forum on Democracy is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded by a group of individuals with government and academic backgrounds. We have been studying and discussing the state of America: "How did we come to this state of affairs?" and "Are there ways to right our ship-of-state?" One of our main concerns is the lack of communication between our leaders and those they lead. The Founders believed in the wisdom of the American people and in the idea that their voice must be heard and heeded by those in power. Today, that voice is not being heard.

Our nation’s founders looked to ancient Rome

The Roman Forum was a space where the governed could converse freely with those who govern, allowing for better government. These conversations continued for centuries until Caesar and the corrupting influence of unchecked power put an end to this sacred conversation and their civilization collapsed.

The “voice of the governed” guided our American fourth branch of government, the “citizen.” The Forum plans to create a “networked commons” that links, amplifies and empowers the voice of people thereby solving complex, deep problems.

"The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy."
—Charles de Montesquieu, French politician and philosopher

What does the American Dream mean to you today?

CONTEST SPONSORED BY THE FORUM ON DEMOCRACY

The Forum on Democracy is launching a series of community conversations in the form of a contest to solicit ideas from citizens leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We invite you, as individuals and interested civic organizations, to take part and help stimulate thinking about who we are, where we are, how we got here and how we can move on as a nation and as a community. Each contest will pose a new question and will be announced in local newspapers, including as many communities and regions as possible over the next year.

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