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The Audacity of Hope
Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
The Audacity of Hope is based on a keynote speech Barack Obama delivered at the 2004 Democratic Convention, which launched him into the spotlight of the nation. It contains many of the subjects of Obama’s 2008 campaign for the presidency.
- Anyone interested in American politics and international affairs
- Anyone who wants to find out about Obama’s core values
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th president of the United States. He was a community organizer in Chicago before earning his law degree and working as a civil rights attorney. He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago, served in the Illinois Senate and later represented Illinois in the US Senate. 2008 he became the first African American president and was re-elected in 2012.
In 2009 he was awarded the Nobel peace prize "for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
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The Audacity of Hope
Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
- Read in 21 minutes
- Audio & text available
- Contains 14 key ideas
Synopsis
The Audacity of Hope is based on a keynote speech Barack Obama delivered at the 2004 Democratic Convention, which launched him into the spotlight of the nation. It contains many of the subjects of Obama’s 2008 campaign for the presidency.
Key idea 1 of 14
All Americans share a fundamental set of values reflecting the founding fathers’ intent.
The founding fathers had the foresight to write two masterpieces, which directly reflect how they envisioned the American ideal: the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
At the very core of these documents is the idea that every man and woman is born free, with the same rights and chances in society.
Still, the founding fathers faced the reality that liberty was not without its challenges: never before in human history had a stable democracy worked for a large nation for any long period of time.
Thus personal freedom seemed only possible in a society which also upholds communal values, such as family, religion, patriotism. Another prerequisite was that power be diffused and all absolute authority rejected. Never in America’s history should a king, general, or pope alone be able to shape the path of the American people.
Still today, all Americans subscribe to two main notions:
- The idea of individual liberty and affording every citizen the same chances, regardless of race, religion, or class
- Communal values bringing people together, keeping their democracy alive.
The attitudes of Americans today continue to be strongly shaped by the founding fathers’ spirit. These shared values are often considered so natural that people take them for granted.
Key ideas in this title
- All Americans share a fundamental set of values reflecting the founding fathers’ intent.
- America is currently suffering from a lack of empathy.
- Politics are strongly influenced by money, interest groups and the media.
- The challenges of the globalized economy are mainly shouldered by ordinary workers.
- America needs a social security system and tax code which ensure risks and benefits are spread equally in society.
- Faith plays a key role in America’s diverse society, helping Americans overcome some of their most pressing problems.
- True equality can be reached through nondiscriminatory laws, scholarships and more emphasis on social justice.
- The problems of poor inner-city neighborhoods can be solved through education and equal opportunities.
- Because the structure of the family-unit has changed, America needs better school programs and more support for parents.
- A vibrant free market needs governmental regulation to ensure the same opportunities for everyone.
- To become more competitive, America must invest in education, science and technology.
- America should invest in alternative energy sources and higher fuel efficiency standards to become energy-independent.
- America’s 21st century foreign policy must focus on the current global battle of ideas and rely more on multilateral action.
- Final summary
