The public and its problems

by John Dewey

"The Public and Its Problems" by John Dewey is a work of political philosophy published in 1927. Responding to critics who dismissed democracy as unworkable in an increasingly complex modern world, Dewey defends democratic governance while acknowledging its flaws. He rejects rule by technocratic elites, arguing instead that democracy requires constant public engagement and vigilance to succeed. The book redefines what constitutes "the public" and "the state," exploring how genuine democracy can survive amid twentieth-century technological and social transformations.