Walter Lieberman offers a profound analytical insight into the relationship between power and the people, and how states are governed and decisions made without the true will of the masses. He meticulously examines how governments, even in the most robust democracies, have played a pivotal role in marginalizing the people when making crucial decisions, such as war and peace, and the grand strategies that determine the fate of nations.
From the Middle Ages, when power was entirely concentrated in the hands of rulers, to the modern era, when parliaments and legislative institutions emerged, the people had little real influence on major decision-making. The press, supposedly the voice of the masses, has historically been a tool of the authorities, restricted either by censorship or indirect control, often serving more as a means of misinformation than a means of conveying the truth.
Lieberman examines how democracy was shaped and developed, explaining that the right of the people to vote does not necessarily mean freedom from the grip of governments. Rather, it requires a deeper political awareness and more effective participation to ensure real influence in the decisions that determine their future. It also discusses how collective emotions are used as a tool for control and direction, with public opinion being influenced through the media and political discourse. This book is not merely an analysis of political history; rather, it is an attempt to uncover the mechanisms that govern the formation of power and how the masses can reclaim their true role in influencing political and social reality, rather than remaining merely the recipients of decisions imposed upon them.