Why the People: The Case for Democracy

World Citizen Comics

by Beka Feathers, Ally Shwed (Illustrator)

This witty and well-argued graphic novel is a must-have for anyone wanting to learn what power "we the people" actually have in a democracy.

Why the people?
Is democracy actually the best form of government? Does it ever work like it’s supposed to?
Join Lin and Julie in the middle of an airport, as they wonder aloud how America can ever be a democracy when citizens seem to disagree about everything. With them, we are whisked through political history, and journey through different systems of power, including monarchy, theocracy, dictatorship and oligarchy.
Beka Feathers and Ally Shwed shine a bright light on power, justice, and the promise of true democracy.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Politics, History, Reference, Sociology, Political Science

272 pages, Hardcover

Published June 14, 2022

About the author

Beka Feathers is a legal adviser on political development in conflict-affected states. She has worked with clients and partners in more than a dozen countries to draft constitutions, design transitional governments, facilitate peace processes, and advocate for improved access to justice. She writes non-fiction comics to bring more people into the conversation about what governments can and should do for their citizens.

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of people stuck in an airport after Thanksgiving use the downtime to think about the pros and cons of various forms of government . . . as Americans are wont to do, you know? They consider monarchies, dictatorships, oligarchies, theocracies, and democracies, defining each form of government and giving examples from world history where something usually went very wrong with it.

It's among the weaker entries in the World Citizen Comics series, but I still found it an engaging review because of my nerdish and wonkish ways when it comes to history and government. I'm not sure the teen audience for whom it seems intended will have my patience with it though.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rate this four stars; however this is coming from someone that likes politics and learning about government structure. I can’t really imagine someone who doesn’t like government reading this, but that’s most genre work anyways. If you don’t like the genre or topic, you probably won’t love the work. I think this gives a great breakdown of democracy and how it differs from other types of government. I think the two characters that we follow can be relatable. It’s often that we “think” we may know how democracy or other governments work, but a lot of the times our perspective is fabricated from commentary we hear at our dinner table. What I most like about this, is that it encourages you to think outside of the ideas you hear around yourself since they may not always be developed from facts.

Learn how our governments works. Question what power we have as citizens in a democracy and practice it as much as you can. The government should work for us, not the other way around.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy these World Citizen Comics in a very civics-nerd manner - yes! please! explain the differences between governmental forms to me! But like, will teenagers enjoy it? Assuming they're the target audience here, of course.

I'm gonna guess no. The framing story in Why the People is exceedingly bland: a pair of strangers experiencing an airport delay decide to discuss which form of government is best. They pretty quickly discard everything but democracy, and note that even there, flaws exist. The best parts are the history lessons about forgotten dictators in Peru, Uganda, etc. Overall, it's a fine exploration - for civics nerds. I'm pretty sure everyone else will shut this book on like, page five.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

4-stars for educational purposes; 2-stars for entertainment purposes, so let’s call it at three ⭐️⭐️⭐️.

TBH, while historical examples and the naming-names of bad governments were a good idea, I felt they went on too long. And the airport metaphor got a bit too stretched when it came to swimsuit tops. 🙄 But anyhoo, I think for a student needing debate prep on most any political topic, this volume demonstrates helpful argument building strategy and has a nice bibliography. But be warned: it’s looong.

[Beth]

#netgalleyarc I really enjoyed this book. It was full of great metaphors that help to make understanding government types and democracy a bit easier. The illustrations were great and zip really enjoyed how the airport was used as a way to work through the topic at hand. I definitely recommend this title for students, or adults!, who need some help wrapping their heads around what different types of governments are out there. I also really liked how the author tied in real-life situations as well.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty insightful little volume. Recommended.

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

The World Citizen Comics series is incredibly important, and super beneficial, when it comes to making governmental ideas more accessible. The American government is super complicated, and it's changed so much since the founding of the country - so understanding where we started and how far (or not far) we've come is important to all citizens. It can also be... boring - so hey, here it is in comic form!

This isn't something that can easily be read in one sitting. It's heavy, it can feel a bit like a slog.. and frankly, it's just not that exciting. But that doesn't mean this doesn't have a lot of value. I can see this being very helpful for students, immigrants, new Americans, and those that just want to understand about democracy and how different governments work. Breaking it down like this book did make it so much more understandable. And the airport terminals and menu analogies they make, even more so.

While this is not my favorite of the series (that remains to be both Fault Lines of the Constitution and Unrig), it is still a good addiction to library collections. I will be purchasing it for my system.

[MookNana · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great resource! Told in graphic novel style, this is a basic explanation of various forms of government humans have tried, and their pros and cons. This should be accessible for readers in middle school and beyond, but I found it very readable and informative even as an adult. I especially liked the historical case studies (Uganda, Peru, Ecuador, etc.) that showed what happened when nations tried various systems of rule.

The overall point seems to echo the conventional wisdom that representative democracy isn't perfect, but it's the best idea we've got so far. The text stressed that citizens are responsible for the function of their government and it's their duty to be informed, engaged, and active. The tone is hopeful and empowering, while also acknowledging the very real problems that exist in the US.

I would heartily recommend this for use in middle school and high schools. It would be a great classroom resource and an excellent addition to school and community libraries.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHY THE PEOPLE: THE CASE FOR DEMOCRACY explores the various forms of government throughout history and modern day. Lin and Julie, two fictional characters stuck in an airport, "arrive" and eventually "depart" from different systems of power. Government structures such as monarchy, oligarchy, theocracy, dictatorship, and democracy are grouped in different terminals based on similarities. Historical and modern examples of each type of government are explored. WHY THE PEOPLE use the metaphor of a government "menu" to explain how some governments pick and choose elements of each to create what they thinks works for their population. A great complement to high school civics and history classrooms.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This shares a lot of really good information. The presentation of that information walks a fine line between an everyday, conversational tone and condescending. It follows a conversation between two citizens frustrated with their lack of knowledge about how government works as a narrator and many bystanders add information and commentary. Though accessible, the presentation wasn't as entertaining as the book's creators would have hoped. Nevertheless, it contains valuable, important information that everyone should find interesting and helpful, and is as far from a dry textbook as possible.

[Molly Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great graphic novel!!!! Seriously I learned so much, but it also makes you realize all the things you don’t know too. I genuinely enjoyed the journey this book took me on, and I’m grateful the information was so accessible— like I imagine anyone who is fluent in English and is 12 years or older could read and understand and learn from this book. I could easily see myself reading this again too. And buying copies for other people, especially young people eager to learn more about how to be more involved in issues they care about.

[KileyV · Rating 4 out of 5]

bro this book actually had me extra invested in the leadership race for my provincial Green party lmao. democracy IS important and I AM a democratic socialist even though this country is FAR from it these days. a vital part of democracy is its legitimacy - do we believe in it? I think the answer here in Canada is still very much yes, so we need to invest in our vision of democracy! imo that means making sure people have stable housing, food, health care, and child care as a bare minimum to begin participating in their municipal governments, but call me a commie.

[charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an incredible read. as someone studying education with a focus on curriculum development, this book is a tool i think would be highly important to share with students starting from eighth grade or so and on. informative, interesting, colorful, and relevant, this graphic novel has the potential to teach young and old people alike about the various types of government—as well as share with them how we can all make democracy work for us, as long as we work together.

[Ari Hershberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of the World Citizen Comics series. Each book is well thought out, teaching the reader the fundamentals and history of democracy, propaganda, the importance of civic action, and places where every citizen can be the change in creating a city, country, and world we are proud of and will gladly pass on to our children.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy!
I have enjoyed this entire series but was worried about how this one was going to be handled. I like it! Of course I could think of a lot of things left out, but I thought the way it was set up worked very well. Very well done.

[Brian Clopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enlightning.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great nonfiction explanation about democracy and politics in general that comes from an unbiased place. These are books that belong in libraries.

[Mark Rimelspach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustrated book on the different types of governments and the advantages and disadvantages of the countries that have or have had them.

[Sikna Bazzi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me. At all. I couldn’t do the way the pictures were laid out

[David Schwan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overview of the different forms of government in use or previously used. Gives the basics of each form. A good introduction to how governments work.

[Jo-jean Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and thought provoking. The graphics add to the straightforward narrative.