It's believed that creatures similar to humans walked Earth about 500,000 to 1,500,000 years ago, but we know nothing about most of that time.

We do know that when people did emerge from this Dark Period they had already developed a system of mathematics, knew something of the planets and stars, and had formed the basic social organizations of family, religion, and government.

Unfortunately, all of these ancient governments were hierarchical forms, meaning that they were ruled by a small, group of privileged people who considered themselves superior to all others. Moreover, we know that almost all of these hierarchical governments were also patriarchal, meaning the small ruling group was comprised exclusively of males. Women were excluded.

We also know that almost all governments since then, whether religious or secular, have been hierarchical, patriarchic forms of government—top-to-bottom forms—in which those few males at the top of society's social ladder dictated and forced the common masses (farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and beggars) at the bottom of the ladder to accept their values and to obey their laws.

But hierarchical societies with their class distinctions and their, presumably, superior empire-building elites have imposed upon planet Earth class cruelty, war after destructive war, and deliberately induced poverty with its attendant illnesses of hunger, prostitution, and crime. They have also produced—within all minority elites at the top—contempt for the intelligence and abilities of the masses who must work to survive.

Which brings us to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The delegates to this convention represented the ruling elite of each of twelve colonies. (Rhode Island did not send delegates.) Common Americans had fought hard and suffered much in the war to free themselves from English rule. Their expectations for a voice in the new government, however, were unrealistic for the new elite of the colonies were still Englishmen, and just as contemptuous of commoners as their European counterparts.

They had little intentions of sharing government powers with commoners. It's why the delegates saddled the new republic with a "representative" democracy that excluded commoners from the decision-making processes of government. This is why, today, as the republic enters the 21st century, it suffers the problems it does, for it still possesses a hierarchical, top-to-bottom form of government. But a true—properly structured democracy—is a bottom-to-top form of governance in which all citizens participate to accept or reject laws and government policies.

There are reasons why many working Americans reject the concept of Direct Democracy.

First: rich Americans, who have much to lose should their "representative" system be changed, have been attacking DD for more than 200 years, either directly, or indirectly by paying financially hungry writers to write books and newspaper articles denouncing the concept of DD. But, as a true participatory democracy has never existed on planet Earth, both criticism and praise can be only as valid as someone's imagination.

Second: Many attacks on the validity of DD as a system of danger to freedom are convincing, and Hyak's "Road to Serfdom" is an outstanding example. But Hyak was the son of an upper-middle class doctor. He graduated college as an economist with a very narrow view of the needs of working people—who are the vast majority of any culture—past or present. What could Hyak know of, or care for, their lives?

Third: The thought of directly participating in government is strange and frightening to many Americans of current generations. But that's only because they were denied a heritage of DD. Their parents and grandparents didn't participate in government. They weren't taught in their schools or religions that self-reliance and solving one's own problems is how mature individuals should meet life, nor were they taught that DD is a valid option for government. Self-government and true freedom.

Last: but not least, Americans have not been brought up in an environment of DD. They haven't had a lifetime of awareness that, as adult citizens, they are expected to participate in government.

The changes that must be made in the U.S. structure to solve or eliminate all of the republic's problems will never be made under the current political and economic systems. Never! It simply isn't in the best interests of our corrupt political leaders or our arrogant economic rulers to solve these problems. Nor can working Americans take their time to slowly think about the things that should be done, for they no longer possess time as a luxury.

The serious consequences of reduced sources of fossil fuels; unregulated and uncaring pollution of the oceans and our lands; the possibility that the terrible consequences of climate change are yet to be experienced; China's large standing military force—the largest on the planet—and that country's impending claim to "Earth's Greatest Producer of Material Goods," (which in great part is due to the money and technology poured into China by unthinking, greedy, international investors looking for quick profit); the frightening fact that as there are now 39 countries with nuclear knowledge, nuclear war is no longer unthinkable—these are all reasons for Americans to quickly adopt a true democratic form of governance that will give all citizens the power to directly participate in addressing these problems.

American history shows that the only time American commoners fully backed a political party formed to expel the existing Establishment from power was in 1796 when they asked Thomas Jefferson to lead them in taking government away from men of the oppressive Federalist Party; an organization comprised of wealthy, influential Americans.

In the 214 years since then, despite the never-ending oppressiveness of wealthy employers supported by sympathetic judicial and police systems, working Americans have never fully supported political attempts to change their wealth-biased political system. Not for changes sought by the People's Party in 1892 or 1896, and not for the changes proposed by the Progressive Party in 1912. Yet, these were the changes needed to remove the influence of money from the American political system, the changes that offered working Americans opportunities for the better life they all sought.

Although we, of the American Institute of Direct Democracy, know about the poor support American workers have given political parties created to help them in the past, we will still try to form a vibrant, effective organization. But you—and all of your fellow Americans, each and every one of you are the ones who will bring this new society to life. No one can do it for you!

True democracy can be created only by participation of the great majority of the people; from the neighborhoods up. That's what true democracy is all about. Believe it or not, true democracy is a realistic possibility. Read about some of the benefits of a fictional DD called "America" found in either of the two books offered on the Institute's webstore or via the link below.

The time for serious change is now, not later, for if common Americans do not transform their government from representative to true democracy now, while there is such discontent and awareness of the bad things their leaders have been doing, in all likelihood, true democracy in the United States will never see the light of day.

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