The authors are members of the faculty and staff steering committee that supports students in organizing Stanford’s Democracy Day.

Democracy Day is Stanford’s civic holiday, a student-led initiative passed by the Faculty Senate five years ago. The Faculty Senate offered one of the University’s most precious resources — time on the academic calendar — to devote to this day.

Democracy Day is held annually. Students demonstrate their commitment by taking the lead on organizing events, planning dialogues and sparking reflection on the purposes, challenges and rewards of democratic governance. We, the undersigned, represent a faculty and staff steering committee that aims to support students in their work around this day, as well as to offer them guidance and help with outreach. Making this day successful depends — like democracy itself — on the participation and engagement of the entire community.

Many democracies around the world are facing considerable headwinds. It is sobering to reflect that for most of human history, human beings did not govern themselves collectively. There was no “We the People” — rather, most people were governed by others who ruled over them as their “superiors.” Indeed, if recorded human history were placed on a 24-hour clock, democracy would be represented by less than two seconds. So democracy is not the most prevalent of human arrangements, and like all other human endeavors, it is imperfect and requires continual refinement and substantial hard work. That work involves laws and institutions, as well as norms and public engagement. Where the public is passive when laws are broken by those in power, where citizens do not understand or advocate for their rights, and where fear and distrust grow among members of society, democracy does not thrive. We should never take democracy for granted.

We commend students across the political spectrum for caring about the democratic project. We hope all members of our community at Stanford can find ways to participate in some of Stanford’s Democracy Day events. On this country’s 250th anniversary, we invite members of the Stanford community to partake in, affirm, reform and debate the incredible achievement and possibility that democracy represents.

Debra Satz is Marta Sutton Weeks Professor of Philosophy, and by Courtesy, Political Science, and Vernon R. & Lysbeth Anderson Dean of Humanities and Sciences.

Emily Chapman is Associate Professor of Political Science.

Larry Diamond is Mosbacher Senior Fellow of Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Professor, by courtesy, of Sociology and of Political Science.

Pam Karlan is Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law.

Karina Kloos is Executive Director of ePluribus Stanford and the Democracy Hub.

Ira Lit is Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Education and Peter E. Haas Faculty Director of the Haas Center for Public Service.

Peggy Propp is Senior Director of Campus Partnerships and Alumni Engagement.