On the Extension: "The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society"

This essay was written using Jonathan Kozol's "The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society" as a resource while supporting Madison's thesis.

Prompt: Using Kozol’s essay as source material, write an essay in which your
thesis is Madison’s statement, “A people who mean to be their own governors must arm
themselves with the power knowledge gives” (2). Be sure to document any information you
borrow from Kozol.

                                               Literacy as a Mean of Democratic Power

                                                           Katy Zou

America prides herself in the establishment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness- the three virtues of proclaimed democracy. Democracy is characterized by a country run by the people and for the people, where decisions and important matters are governed and elected by the people. Therefore, it is absurd to support the idea of equal life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness when 35 million of America’s residents are illiterate or below the level of literacy needed to function in society, not to mention, unable to make basic political decisions to protect their own constitutional rights.

As James Madison once stated, “A people who mean to be their own government must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives”. Literacy, the power to be informed of decisions and to inform others about one’s own opinion, often times is an undermined weapon of democracy. Literate people are given the power to voice themselves in elections, putting in their ballot’s share. Literate people are able to participate in their country’s decision-making. Literate people are the only people that define the term democracy in America.

Kozol, in his “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society”, describes the ways illiterate citizens are in a way crippled when it comes to the democratic, decision-making process. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, of the 26 million people living in California, 23%, or about 6 million Californians are illiterate. Illiterate citizens rarely vote. Those who do vote are “forced to cast a vote of questionable worth” (Kozol). Their ballot is based on imagery or glitz of the candidate, rather than material of worth or possible future contributions of their candidate.

When more than 10% of our country’s population is unrepresented, how can America call herself a democracy? Voices of minority groups are neglected. The illiterate cycle that circulates generation after generation as shown by Kozol’s second-degree murder case concerning Stephen, creates an on-going rift in America’s society. Some citizens are represented while others have their tongues cut out. In order for America to thrive as a democratic nation, the people must arm themselves with the power literacy gives.

James Madison in a letter once wrote to W.T. Barry, “A people who mean to be their own government must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives”. 200 years later we still hold these words to be self-evident, that in order for the people to deem themselves governors of a democratic state, they, themselves, must hold the power to decide right from wrong. Without the power literacy gives, the people follow blindly, and America should therefore be called by another name.