This essay critically examines the relationship between antiracism, public policy, and liberal democratic accountability standards. Drawing on a set of standards derived from the political philosophies and constitutional structures of liberal democracies, the gap between these ideals and the realities of racial injustice are examined in light of Frederick Douglass’ position on the U.S. Constitution as an anti-slavery document, the persistence of a “racial contract,” and recent conceptualization of antiracism. By grounding antiracist policies in democratic accountability standards and recognizing the gap between the ideal and the real, the essay then examines the contemporary efforts of an “antiwoke” movement to purge policies and practices that focus on social equity and antiracism from government operations and assesses the efficacy of such efforts in light of core democratic standards and American ideals.
