Democracy: A Gilded Age Portrait of Washington Politics and Corruption (Annotated)

Experience the charged world of Washington D.C. politics in Henry Adams' thrilling 1880 novel Democracy. When a wealthy young widow named Madeleine Lee arrives in the capital, she is swept into its social scene. A chance meeting with Senator Silas P. Ratcliffe leads to a tentative romance, as Madeleine believes she can positively influence the charismatic politician. However, as she navigates more of the powerful elite, her na?ve idealism about democracy begins to crumble.

Behind Ratcliffe's rising political star lies a web of patronage, compromises, and moral rationalizations required to succeed in Gilded Age politics. The closer Madeleine gets to this world of power brokers, the more her sentiments are tested between ambition for Ratcliffe and disillusionment with dirty deals. Adams provides an insider's view into the halls of government and 19th century Washington high society.

With its dramatic portrayal of an ingenue entangled with larger-than-life characters, Democracy combines the suspenseful pace of a thriller with the social insight of literary fiction. Adams masterfully explores how principles give way to practicalities when idealists dare to believe they can change the system. This charged tale brings America's capital to life in all its glory and ruthlessness.