Democratic Despotism, Democratic Culture, and the Democratic Ideal.

This article analyzes W.E.B. Du Bois's World War I–era theory of democracy, which consists of three components: a historically specific critique of the racially exclusionary nature of modern democratic struggles, a defense of universal suffrage as essential to justice, and an emphasis on cultivating a democratic culture to overcome white supremacy's ongoing threat to black enfranchisement. Du Bois characterizes the prevailing global order as "democratic despotism," where white working-class democratic gains coexist with the suppression and exploitation of nonwhite peoples, sustained by a white Christian culture that functions as a "culture of the mob" opposed to inclusiveness. He argues that justice requires inclusiveness—incorporating diverse, previously excluded perspectives through universal suffrage—and that democracy must be supplemented by a culture of receptivity and responsiveness, a "culture of the crowd," to prevent tyranny of the majority over minorities. The article also discusses Du Bois's literary work, illustrating the fragility of democratic ideals amid racial violence and the ongoing struggle to realize a polity shaped by democratic culture that embraces all citizens' voices.