The Ghost in the White House / Some suggestions as to how a hundred million people (who are supposed in a vague, helpless way to haunt the white house) can make themselves felt with a president, how they can back him up, express themselves to him, be expressed by him, and get what they want

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

22241

Title

The Ghost in the White House / Some suggestions as to how a hundred million people (who are supposed in a vague, helpless way to haunt the white house) can make themselves felt with a president, how they can back him up, express themselves to him, be expressed by him, and get what they want

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Gerald Stanley Lee proposes a radical reimagining of democracy, arguing that the American people are currently a "ghost" haunting the White House. This 1920 manifesto calls for a President who acts as an engineer of the people's will, prioritizing human connection over political posturing. Lee urges citizens to move from passive abstraction to active, collective agency, demanding a leader who listens to the "hundred million" and empowers them to shape their own destiny through shared vision and spiritual cooperation.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1920, Gerald Stanley Lee's *The Ghost in the White House* offers a radical critique of the disconnect between the American populace and their government. Lee argues that the public currently exists only as a "vague, helpless abstraction" or a ghost haunting the White House, rather than inhabiting it. Written as a nomination for a hypothetical President defined by character rather than party, the book seeks to transform this ghost into a tangible force of a hundred million people. Lee contrasts the current political class, which he dismisses as "busy little worms" disconnected from reality, with the awakened public demanding a more direct democracy. The text is structured into six books exploring what the people expect of themselves, the President, and the nation. A central theme is the necessity of developing "new brain tracks," where individuals must dig deeper into their subconsciousness to overcome superficial listening and automatic anger. Lee posits that the human body often petrifies the mind, preventing original thought; thus, true leadership requires unlocking the crowds to one another. The ideal President, according to Lee, is a "lawyer backwards": someone who possesses legal knowledge but uses it to draw people out rather than tightening their convictions. This leader's religion is found in fair competition and cooperation, utilizing government resources to support ethical business practices and the "Red Flag" of democracy found in everyday labor. Lee envisions a "Big Brother" who carries the keys to unlock the nation's potential, ensuring democracy functions as a deliberate act of human will rather than a loophole for fate. Ultimately, the book calls for a leader capable of holding the nation together during a "colossal, most serious and godlike moment." By guiding the country through a reconstruction of its "national biology," this President would make the people feel substantial and important, transforming them from a haunting spirit into the active agents of their own destiny. Lee concludes that the quickest way to achieve this is for the people to speak their truth through a book, bypassing traditional conventions to nominate a President who truly listens to the prayers and will of the nation.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Politics
• Democracy