The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
The President-Elect’s Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
Published in 1995, Barack Obama’s first book, Dreams from My Father, was a highly personal memoir that focused heavily on his private life and his thoughts on the issues of race, identity and community.
With The Audacity of Hope, Obama updates the reader on his life since publication of his first book, focusing on the themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and offering his dream of reforming the political process so that people’s faith in their government is restored.
Themes and Core Values
The first chapter in The Audacity of Hope is entitled ‘Republicans and Democrats’ and in it Obama examines the recent political history of the United States. Obama seems to feel that politics has become too confrontational and that politicians now too frequently rely on personal attacks on their opposition rather than on philosophical differences.
He compares the current state of politics adversely with that of previous generations when politicians respected each other even though they were members of different parties and had different ideals.
Obama then goes on to discuss ‘Values’. He contemplates those values that are common to all Americans and suggests that such commonality could help to bridge the divide between supporters of the different political parties. In this chapter Obama skilfully captures the way America and Americans are perceived around the world, highlighting the shared hopes and ideals that are seen as the cornerstones of the American dream.
Chapter three, ‘Our Constitution’, examines the content and symbolism of the United States Constitution. Obama provides an interesting analysis of the Supreme Court and its role in deciding ‘original intent’. He points out that in reality it is impossible to decide what the Founding Fathers originally intended since they themselves were disagreeing before the ink of the Constitution was even dry.
The fourth chapter on ‘Politics’ discusses how outside forces, such as the media and lobbyists, interfere with the business of government to such an extent that agreement between the parties is practically impossible.
In ‘Opportunity’, the fifth chapter, Obama considers how various changes in circumstances have moved him closer, and occasionally further away, from voters as well as examining the employment opportunities available to the American people. Interesting, while acknowledging that globalisation cannot be stopped, Obama stresses that a new kind of economic consensus needs to be reached to protect both workers and businesses.
In chapter six, ‘Faith’, Obama discusses the relationship between politics and religion, providing as he does some interesting insight into his views on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.
Obama then considers ‘Race’, suggesting that the phenomenon of ‘white guilt’ is now largely missing from society and considering what impact this has for race relations and American society in general.
The following chapter, ‘The World beyond Our Borders’, is an examination of the changing attitudes of other countries towards the United States and vice versa. Obama discusses how the world has changed since 9/11 and what he feels should be America’s global role. He concludes that all countries benefit from and should adhere to international law and that the United States should not expect other countries to follow rules that they themselves flout.
The Audacity of Hope concludes with ‘Family’, a chapter in which Obama discusses his childhood as well as the issues that he is now facing with his own family. He raises the importance of education to all families and also considers how decent standards of living for all families are vital to the continuing prosperity of America.
An Impressive Manifesto
Barack Obama has an excellent, almost poetic, writing style which makes The Audacity of Hope a far more enjoyable reading experience than most other political autobiographies. Obama comes across just as well in written form as he does in speeches; he writes authoritatively and engagingly on vital topics and provides the reader with a clear picture of the kind of country that Obama hopes and believes the United States can be.
Given the role that Barack Obama now has in shaping world history, The Audacity of Hope has certainly become vital reading for anyone interested in politics, current affairs and international relations.
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama
ISBN 9781847670830, Cannongate Books, 2008, pp 384, £8.99
The Audacity of Hope
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