In "Democracy," poet Langston Hughes makes a passionate plea for equality and true democracy—not just democracy that benefits a select few. Many poems like "Democracy" simply make their case and do nothing more; Hughes' poem takes a step further. Hughes demands change and suggests that waiting for rights to come is not an option. From the very beginning, Hughes makes the case that democracy will never be handed down; it needs to be lived, experienced, and even demanded by those who've been kept at its margins.
Hughes then repeats the phrase, "I do not need my freedom when I'm dead," suggesting that freedom and democracy are under attack and that time is short to fight for it. Not only is this line a warning, but it underscores that many sacrifices have been made in the fight for civil rights and justice, two causes Hughes (and this poem) is passionate about). The poem's tone backs up this sense of impatience and suggests that true democracy shouldn't be deferred; it should be an immediate reality. After all, justice delayed is justice denied.
The use of the word "I" in the poem feels more expansive than individualistic. The narrative voice channels the collective spirit and aspirations of the African-American community and, by extension, all marginalized groups who yearn for true democracy in which they are included. Everyone, after all, has a role in demanding their rights and collective rights.
Finally, Hughes acknowledges the pressures that people invariably face in the fight against inequality. People are pressured to conform, to be patient, or even to find compromises. However, Hughes makes the case that true democracy cannot thrive on compromises made at the expense of fundamental human rights. Freedom is absolute and non-negotiable.
