More than three-quarters of Americans today, from all across the political spectrum, fear for their democracy. While most popular attention centers on America's political institutions-presidents, legislatures, courts, political parties, & elections-historian, entrepreneur, and political philosopher Raphael Chayim Rosen argues this approach is upside down.

The foundational strength of American democracy does not lie within institutions beyond the reach of ordinary Americans, but rather inside the quotidian thoughts, words, and deeds of citizens themselves. Merging insights across history, political philosophy, and modern psychology, Rosen takes his readers on a tumultuous journey through ancient Israelite legislators, classical Greek philosophers, Roman emperors, Enlightenment aristocrats, America's Founders, antebellum orators, Civil Rights leaders, and modern social psychologists to identify the specific cultural practices that have made American democracy survive its greatest threats.

With forceful and compassionate clarity, Pedestal shows why Americans' everyday words and actions are the key to preserving their mighty, fragile democracy. .