Why the People: The Case for Democracy

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.


About the Author

Beka Feathers is a legal adviser who has worked with clients and partners in more than a dozen countries, helping to draft constitutions, design transitional governments, facilitate peace processes, and advocate for improved access to justice. She is a proud alumna of Lewis & Clark College, the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, and American University's Washington College of Law.

Ally Shwed is a cartoonist, writer, and editor, originally from Linden, New Jersey. She received her MFA in sequential art from the Savannah College of Art & Design and has worked with The Boston Globe, Topic, Jezebel, and The Intercept. She regularly contributes to the comics journalism website The Nib and is the editor-in-chief of Little Red Bird Press, a comics publisher and printmaking studio.