We the Elites: Why the US Constitution Serves the Few

by Robert Ovetz

Written by 55 of the richest white men, and signed by only 39 of them, the US constitution is the sacred text of American nationalism. Popular perceptions of it are mired in idolatry, myth and misinformation - many Americans have opinions on the constitution but have little idea what it says. This book examines the constitution for what it is – a rulebook for elites to protect capitalism from democracy. Social movements have misplaced faith in the constitution as a tool for achieving justice when it actually impedes social change through the many roadblocks and obstructions we call 'checks and balances'. This stymies urgent progress on issues like labour rights, poverty, public health and climate change, propelling the American people and rest of the world towards destruction. Robert Ovetz's reading of the constitution shows that the system isn't broken. Far from it. It works as it was designed to.

Genres: Politics, History, American History, Nonfiction, American, Economics

248 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2022

Reviews

[Parker McQueeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a desperately needed history of the constitutional counterrevolution of 1787-89. As a work of history, it is excellent and topical. The US Left desperately needs to understand that the constitutional counterrevolution of 1787-89 still fundamentally shapes our undemocratic bourgeois political order. However, the final section of the book, which puts forward a positive strategy, is extraordinarily weak. Influenced by the author's own anarchist/Bookchinite politics, the strategy posited is not a building a socialist mass movement against the constitution for a democratic republic, in which the working class could take power and begin the transition to socialism, but rather some confused anarchist retreat into 'communities of resistance', etc. Bravo to Robert Ovetz for this historical work. But I recommend putting the book down once you finish the meat of the work.

[Greg M. Keras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent thesis, often dry presentation. That said, essential reading for anyone living in or influenced by the United States.

[Cliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawg imma be straight with you. I don’t think we’re getting the changes we need by this fuck ass government and its systems to block progress. If it ain’t congress, it’ll be the president, if it ain’t the president, it’ll be the courts. [REDACT] the constitution twin.

Let me expand on this though. The book itself was very good. A bit dry and I’ll certainly need to re-read it again but it does take you through each branch of the government and really does show you how it was built to benefit the capitalist class back then and how it protects them now.

He does pull from primary sources that show a lot of the motivations of these enslavers. Now don’t get me wrong were they evil masterminds, hellbent on making a global empire? No they were rich dicks. That’s evil enough.

I guess the biggest takeaway I got from this book is, I’m sorry for saying this, voting in this system kinda doesn’t work, at least if you are trying to overhaul this government for the working class. This is not some “ugh leftist not participating in voting” but like the American government and the political structure as it is laid out.

Fundamentally does not want progress to happen. There are checks and systems in place to make sure it doesn’t whether it’s though official political routes, judicial review or just straight up the president calling it domestic terrorism, assembling the military and blowing your shit schmoove off.

In all seriousness, though, I really would not pull the liberal thing and think that just voting is going to fix everything. Let them have this.

Honestly I fear if these leftist shaming liberals really saw the amount of roadblocks that have been so successful in crushing any type of change. They would have a crashout of biblical proportions.

The work really does come from outside the political system. You can’t expect change in a system that demands you to play by their rules.

But hey at least now you’ll have the knowledge now that voting for Harris, Newsom, or third party really ain’t shifting shit that much. That guilt that liberals will try weaponizing will not work as well bc well…it kinda wasn’t going to work in the first place?

I kinda see these elections and midterms as more of a temperature gauge now? I mean sure take it seriously but like don’t expect whoever the 2028 presidential ticket to come in and fix shit nationally. There’s just too many pit falls to put all your faith into it.

[Prentice Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the literary takedown of reformism, and of faith in changing the system from within, that I’d been waiting to discover for a while.

The book masterfully distills the Founding Fathers own letters and quotes as well as sections from our constitution into accessible and relevant quotes to show how they hated Democracy with a passion, and created the system we have today to shield propertied interests from the voice of the common people.

The book flawlessly demonstrates that right-wingers, liberals and leftists who focus their resources and energy into national change from within on behalf of commoners are delusional at best, and charlatans at worst, if they are pushing this false hope onto others.

The author also puts our system of Government into context with other western Governments, and shows how ours is distinctly anti-democratic while we arrogantly pretend to be forcing “democracy” onto other countries militarily.

This literary feat couldn’t have been an easy task because the English they wrote in back then was very dense and even more so because it was concerning legal matters.

This author managed to condense their longwinded writing down to 250 pages and got right to the point in a way that is hard hitting, doesn’t pull any punches, and keeps your attention.

This is something other authors on the topic have “attempted” to do but failed at. That makes this book literary gold.

Also his solutions section of the book snaps the reader into reality by dispensing with delusions of reformism and focusing on radical action. This is a must-read for all radicals, liberals and even right-wingers who are tired of lying to themselves.

The number of highlights I made in the book were plentiful for all of the reasons above.

[Benjamin Solidarity · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first two introductory chapters can get super repetitive to the point of being irksome and tiring. But the subsequent chapters expands on the central argument very effectively and makes that case that 1) the IS Constitution is an elitist document meant to serve rich elites, 2) its a direct barrier to all sorts of desperately needed changes, 3) it creates a congress that is inefficient by design, and 4) if we are ever to win lasting change we need to replace it.

[♡ Isabella Grace ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful.