Image: The Gardens of Democracy by Len Lantz (CC BY-NC-ND)
Synopsis: Len's Star Rating: 7 out of 10. A well-written book on politics and society in the US that makes a persuasive argument for nudging our country slightly to the left while calling for the government not to grow as the provider of services and programs.
BY LEN LANTZ, MD, author of unJoy / 6.3.2023; No. 111
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Star Rating – 7 out of 10
Rating guide: 1 = horrible, 5 = average and 10 = wow
Authors
Eric Liu and Nick Hanauer
About the authors
Eric Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Citizen University. In 2007, he co-authored The True Patriot with Nick Hanauer and together they founded The True Patriot Network, a “no judgment, free speech, uncensored social media company that replaces big tech and allows individuals from all sides to share their true passions, feelings, and lives.” Eric Liu also directs the Aspen Institute’s Citizenship & American Identity Program. He is the author of several other books and is a regular contributor to The Atlantic.
Nick Hanauer is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, and activist who directs a significant portion of his time to social and policy issues. He has served as a Board Advisor at Amazon. In 2000, he co-founded Second Avenue Partners. He founded and served as CEO of aQuantive, Inc (acquired by Microsoft for $6.4 billion in 2007) and founded Gear.com (merged with Overstock in 2001).
General description
The Gardens of Democracy has the claim to fame of being on the list of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “10 Books Everyone Should Read.” Its call to action is for citizens to advocate for the government in the US to be “big on the what and small on the how.” The authors advocate for people to embrace their definition of good citizenship, a reasonable level of prosperity for all people, and a government that sets big goals but does not grow itself to fulfill the enactment of services and programs. The contents of the book are organized into six chapters/sections:
Seeds: gardenbrain vs. machinebrain
Self-Interest: true self-interest is mutual interest
True Capitalism: We’re all better off when we’re all better off
Self-Government: big what, small how
Harvest: we reap what we sow
Unique and most important aspects
While The Gardens of Democracy was written in 2011 and addressed the issues, politicians, and programs of that time, the authors’ perspectives and rationale remain persuasive and timely. Unfortunately, the hostility, vitriol, and divisiveness in our society and political dialogue that the authors sought to address over a decade ago have only increased. The authors are transparent in their goal to persuade the reader and have done an excellent job not only in pointing out the downsides of more conservative and libertarian arguments but also the problems inherent in extremely liberal approaches and the pros and cons of historically liberal groups, such as unions. Important features of this book include:
An introduction to the concepts of “Gardenbrain” (a holistic, collaborative view of citizenship and society) versus “Machinebrain” (a reductionistic, polarizing view of citizenship and society)
The counterintuitive effects and individual benefits of networked, prosocial citizenship
How healthy self-interest requires reciprocity and collaboration
Recommendations for democratic reform
Reforming redistricting (modern-day gerrymandering)
Restricting money in politics through campaign finance reform
Blocking elected officials from working as high-priced lobbyists following their work as legislators
Ending the filibuster in the US Senate
Reinvigorating voting and making voting mandatory in the US
Best quotes
“We aim to reach those who think independently. That might mean those who claim no party affiliation, though it also includes many loyal Democrats and Republicans. It definitely means those who are uncomfortable being confined by narrow choices, old paradigms, and zero-sum outcomes.”
“We used to assume that people are primarily rational, and now we see that they are primarily emotional.”
“When you are compassionate and generous, society can become compassionate and generous. When you are violent and hateful, society can become violent and hateful. You can be the original cause of the contagion.”
“Or to put it another way, it is to recognize that society becomes how you behave—not anyone else but you.”
“Today, the top 1 percent account for more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. That is not American. The middle has shrunk, the ranks of the poor have grown, and the United States now has the wealth distribution of a Third World nation.”
“Consider that many of the 195 countries in the world have been running experiments in ‘limited government.’ All are abject failures. If minimalist government worked, Somalia would be rich, stable, and secure and Canada would be a hellhole.”
“As a result, in societies where there are few curbs on or consequences for bad behavior, cooperation collapses and soon so does the society. This is why any societies that are truly libertarian are in various states of civil war, and why the most cooperative societies with activist governments are the only prosperous, stable, and secure societies on earth.”
“Freedom isn’t free. It costs a little freedom.”
“With inalienable rights come inalienable responsibilities.”
Who would enjoy this book?
Readers who are interested in a short book with general ideas on healthy political reform in the US are likely to enjoy The Gardens of Democracy.
Who would not enjoy this book?
People who are interested in an extensive text on political reform or who are wedded to political ideologies at the far left or right are unlikely to enjoy The Gardens of Democracy.
Conclusion
The Gardens of Democracy is a well-written book on politics and society in the US and makes a persuasive argument for nudging our country slightly to the left while calling for the government not to grow as the provider of services and programs.