We had prepared a PowerPoint. It contained all of our information. It was mildly colorful. However, Sunday night, we decided to change directions completely. Just as democracy, according to Alexis de Tocqueville, is “unable to sustain any one activity or goal for very long”, we dropped our plans and moved on to something bigger and better. Whether as a form of government, a way of life, or a facet of a group presentation, Democracy always presents great benefits and complications which stress its participants, and ultimately, often imperfectly, resolve. Preparing for the part III presentations was by far the most stressful and demanding project we have undertaken this semester. This being said, it also offered the most hands-on look at democracy, both in the organizations we studied and within our group, coming, after many deliberations and setbacks, to a peaceful resolution.
Researching the 4-h club was a fascinating experience, largely because I had minimal background knowledge on the organization before embarking on our research. I had associated 4-h solely with the kids who showed animals at the state fair, and did not realize the other opportunities the club offers to children. Having finished our research and presentation experience, I am personally convinced that 4-h is one of the best voluntary organizations for kids in terms of generating civic engagement. I say this not only to reinforce the stance my group chose to take within our project, but also to express my own conclusions on the presence of democracy within voluntary associations. I originally chose to focus upon children’s organizations for the simple reason that I am one of those strangely maternal teenagers who is in love with children. More seriously, however, I am in agreement with Putnam and Sanders in their “Post 9/11 Split” when they write, “America could be civically restored… by teaching the young, whose habits are more malleable to be increasingly socially connected.” If children begin to be involved in effective and fun organizations at a young age, they can grow in the mentality that social trust and participation are important to their lives.
Researching 4-h has given me greater confidence that there are still organizations that allow children to do develop lifelong citizenship skills. I had wondered upon beginning this project whether or not children’s organizations would be able to teach life-long lessons, or whether they would focus primarily on “having fun.” 4-h members certainly have fun, as evidenced by the interviews we gave, but they also stay true to their pledge by requiring members to participate in projects. Each child is able to choose their own projects, but participation is not meant only to be “fun.” There is always an educational or enriching purpose behind the enjoyable experiences. I also appreciate that 4-h has separated their organization to focus upon three main programs: Science, Citizenship, and Healthy Living. In this way, the club is addressing three of the most important factors in our society today.
The science program stays true to 4-h’s roots by addressing agriculture and industry- two important factors in the nation’s economy. Without a stable economy and progress, people have far less time and energy to devote to social capital, a trend expressed in my response to Putnam by Carol Armstrong. Thus, 4-h is helping to give future generations an interest in science, technology, and the economy, helping to ensure that social capital grows in future years.
The citizenship program directly addresses democracy, teaching kids the democratic process while partnering with local organizations to give children experience making decisions in the public realm. By introducing children to venues in which they can be civically active, children have experience to rely upon in their adult years when they are looking for ways to be involved.
Even the healthy living program has ties to democracy. 4-h club believes that for children to be the best they can be, both for themselves and as members of a community, they need to be healthy- both physically and mentally. The healthy living program teaches kids about how to live a balanced and healthy life, so that they can make good decisions and actively participate in the world around them. This relates to Tocqueville’s comments upon democracy, when he claims that in order for a democracy to thrive, it must have “good” people, as the people are the voice of the democracy. While he was referring to religion, the concept can be applied to having healthy and mentally sound citizens as well. In these ways, I found 4-h club to be an excellent representation of how a voluntary organization can promote democracy and encourage youth without being boring or irrelevant to modern citizens.
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