From the beginning, America was designed to be a nation built from the bottom up. The Framers believed that the strength of a republic comes from its citizens — from families, neighborhoods, congregations and communities working together to shape their own future. They trusted the people to be the builders of democracy, laying its foundation through participation, accountability and local decision‑making.
Over time, however, our system has shifted. What was intended to be a bottom‑up republic increasingly resembles a top‑down structure. More decisions are made far from the people they affect. More authority is concentrated in fewer hands. And voters are left with fewer meaningful choices. This is not the democracy the framers envisioned, nor is it the model that has historically allowed America to thrive.
Opinion: Citizens must uphold the norms of American democracy
To describe this shift, it’s helpful to think in terms of Builders and Stewards.
Builders are citizens — the people who believe that government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed. Builders trust local voices. They believe that communities should have the freedom to solve problems in ways that reflect their values and circumstances. They see democracy as something constructed from the ground up, strengthened by participation and shared responsibility.
Stewards, by contrast, are those who believe that governance requires centralized direction. They argue that institutions must guide the public for the sake of stability and order. Stewards are not adversaries of democracy; many act with sincere intentions. But when stewardship becomes overreach, it narrows the space for citizen involvement and shifts power upward, away from the people.
One sign of this imbalance is the widening gap between registration and participation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 73.6% of Americans were registered to vote in 2024, yet only 65.3% cast a ballot. Millions of citizens who took the step to register ultimately chose not to participate. That gap reflects more than apathy — it reflects a system where many feel their voice no longer shapes outcomes. When people sense that choices are limited or predetermined, they disengage. A bottom‑up democracy cannot thrive when so many feel sidelined.
Rep. Celeste Maloy: Recommitting to freedom and responsibility as we approach America 250
We see this tension in debates over ballot initiatives, local autonomy, redistricting and the growing influence of political insiders. We see it when national party structures limit voter choice or when legislative bodies override decisions made closer to home. Each of these trends moves us further from the bottom‑up model that once defined American self‑government.
Utahns understand the value of local voice. Our state has long relied on strong communities, civic engagement and a culture of service. These are the qualities that make bottom‑up governance not only possible but also powerful. When decisions begin with the people — not with distant authorities — we build a healthier, more resilient democracy.
The challenge before us is not to reject stewardship but to rebalance it. Stewards play an important role in maintaining institutions, but they must remember that their authority exists to support the Builders, not to replace them. A thriving republic requires both — citizens who are willing to pick up the tools of democracy and leaders who respect the people’s role as its foundation.
The framers gave us a blueprint for a government rooted in the people. If we want to preserve the strength of our democracy, we must return to that design. It’s time to empower the Builders again.
Read More from Deseret News