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In Langston Hughes' poem 'Democracy,' the speaker emphasizes that true democracy in the United States requires complete equality and immediate action for reform, particularly for Black Americans who are denied their rights. The poem critiques the notion of patience in the face of injustice, asserting that freedom is essential for survival and must be demanded now. Ultimately, the speaker calls for a strong social movement to achieve democracy, urging everyone to actively participate in the fight for racial justice.

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10 views2 pages

Democracy BSC BCA

In Langston Hughes' poem 'Democracy,' the speaker emphasizes that true democracy in the United States requires complete equality and immediate action for reform, particularly for Black Americans who are denied their rights. The poem critiques the notion of patience in the face of injustice, asserting that freedom is essential for survival and must be demanded now. Ultimately, the speaker calls for a strong social movement to achieve democracy, urging everyone to actively participate in the fight for racial justice.

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hritik raj
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Democracy by Langston Hughes

The speaker claims that in order for the United States to be a true democracy, everyone needs to
have equal rights, and that in order to survive, equality and freedom are just as essential as food.
The speaker goes on to say that democracy can only be achieved through a strong popular
movement for reform.

If we are hesitant to demand anything less than complete equality, this society will never become a
democracy — not now, not this year, and not ever. My rights are the same as everybody else's. I
should be able to claim this nation as mine while standing tall like any other man. Hearing others
advise us to be patient and wait for change to arrive or that things will change in the future makes
me so tired. When I'm dead, my freedom won't help me at all. I can't get by on some misguided
notion of future freedom. Freedom is a powerful seed that was sown in the earth out of a necessary,
immediate necessity. I too live in this nation. I want equality and freedom, just like you.

The poem makes it clearly evident that a society cannot call itself a democracy if it denies Black
Americans such rights. Democracy will not come, the speaker continues, meaning that it is not yet
here, and is thus described as a future that has not yet come. This is a reference to the fact that, at
the time the poem was written, wide - spread illegal voting and racist violence effectively denied
Black Americans the right to vote, and thus to have a say in their country's future. The speaker also
notes that unlike the "other fellow"—that is, white Americans—the speaker can't yet "own the
land." The speaker claims that such a system is scarcely democratic.

The speaker goes on to say that delaying racial justice deprives Black Americans of their fundamental
human rights. Freedom, the speaker suggests, is integral to life; it is as necessary for survival as
"bread"—and nobody, of course, can sustain themselves on food they haven't even received yet.
The speaker is responding to those who tell Black Americans that tomorrow is "another day," that is,
to be patient and to restore confidence in their demands for equality. As a result, every day that
goes without equality is an injustice, and the speaker's urgent, forceful tone only helps to further
highlight this sense of immediate necessity: the speaker, along with all Black Americans, deserves
equality and freedom, right this moment. Since democracy cannot be achieved by "compromise and
fear," the speaker says that the nation must actively address this injustice. In other words, only a
strong social movement for change can allow the United States to become a democracy.

The speaker then uses the metaphor of a "strong seed" that has been "planted" to describe
freedom, presenting it as something that has to be maintained and taken care of. This image
suggests that a true democracy can be established, but it will take effort and commitment. Finally,
the speaker addresses the audience directly at the poem's very end, stressing that no one can
remain neutral while working tirelessly for racial justice and democracy. Thus, the poem challenges
readers to reflect on their own role in the struggle for change.
GAYATHRI M

ASST PROF : ENGLISH

ACHARYA INSTITUTE

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