Democratic Vistas is a long essay from 1871 in which Whitman reflects on the state of the United States after the Civil War. He admires the nation's ideals of equality and self-government, but worries about greed, corruption and a lack of cultural depth. He argues that democracy needs a strong national literature and individuals of real character to fulfil its promise. The essay mixes hope and criticism, and is often read as a key statement of his political thought.