“Science and policy-making thrive on challenge and questioning; they are vital to the health of inquiry and democracy.” ChallengesDemocracyPolicyThriveQuestioningInquiryPolicy Making Author:Nicholas Stern
“The country is headed toward a single and splendid government of an aristocracy founded on banking institutions and moneyed incorporations and if this tendency continues it will be the end of freedom and democracy, the few will be ruling...I hope we shall...crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations which dare already to challenge our government to trial and bid defiance to the laws of our country. I sincerely believe that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.” IfsBelieveEndsCountryGovernmentLawChallengesDemocracyDangerousBirthStandingArmyInstitutionsDareTrialsTendenciesOur CountryCorporationsCrushEstablishmentBankingRulingSincerelySplendidDefianceAristocracyIncorporation Author:Thomas Jefferson
“democracy ... is not something that occurs overnight. It is not a gift delivered on a golden tray. Democracy is a long process of fighting, challenging accepted ideas, and perpetually striving for freedom. Like a seed that has to be watered every day to become a flower, democracy needs constant attention and care.” NeedsLongIdeasCareFightingProcessChallengesAttentionDemocracyFlowerConstantStriveSeedsAcceptedGoldenTrays Author:Shirin Ebadi
“You want sanity, democracy, community, an intact Earth? We can't get there, obeying Constitutional theory and law crafted by slave masters, imperialists, corporate masters, and Nature destroyers. We can't get there, kneeling before robed lawyers stockpiling class plunder precedent up their venerable sleeves. So isn't disobedience the challenge of our age? Principled, inventive, escalating disobedience to liberate our souls, to transfigure our work as humans on this Earth.” WantHumansSoulAgeEarthLawCommunityChallengesClassDemocracyMastersTheorySlaveLawyerCorporateSanityDisobedienceSleevesPrecedentDestroyersObeyingPlunderKneelingPrincipledEscalating Author:Richard Grossman
“This country has attained 'Swarajya', but unfortunately the dream of 'Surajya' is left unfulfilled. Today, if there is any major challenge before this country, it is that of a 'Surajya' and since the last decade, Gujarat is working in the direction of attaining Surajya.” IfsCountryDreamTodayLastsLeftChallengesDemocracyMajorsIndiaElectionDecadesGujarat Author:Narendra Modi
“We all accuse Vladimir Putin of Cold War nostalgia, but Washington's elites - politicians and intellectuals - miss the old days as well. They wish for the world in which the United States was utterly dominant over its friends, its foes were to be shunned entirely, and the challenges were stark, moral, and vital. Today's world is messy and complicated. China is one of our biggest trading partners and our looming geopolitical rival. Russia is a surly spoiler, but it has a globalized middle class and has created ties in Europe.” WorldWellsWarStatesRealityTodayPoliticsWishCommunityChallengesLeadershipUnitedMoneyMoralClassHistoryUnited StatesDemocracyGenerationsMiddleMissingPolicyColdPoliticianEthicsEuropeTradeStrategyHuman RightsChinaComplicatedNostalgiaPartnersRussiaIdeologyTiesMiddle ClassOver ItElitesForeign PolicyDominantCold WarTradingDiplomacyFoeFree MarketRivalsCivilityMessyPutinOld DaysStarksToday's WorldLoomingGeopoliticalSurlySpoilersTrading Partners Author:Fareed Zakaria
“Each Middle East country has their own unique kinds of challenges; but the fundamentals, the desire for democracy and freely elected governments is a common thread throughout.” KindCountryGovernmentDesireChallengesCommonDemocracyMiddleUniqueFundamentalsEastMiddle EastThreadCommon Threads Author:John McCain
“There is always an element of realpolitik that has to be present in the conduct of any nation's national security affairs. At the same time, we have to also have a balance between realpolitik and Wilsonian principles of freedom and democracy and human rights. And maintaining that balance is the greatest challenge that we in the West, including the Federal Republic of Germany, have to face because it's many times a very difficult decision-making process.” HumansFacesNationsProcessDifficultChallengesDecisionPrinciplesDemocracyRightsSecurityBalanceElementsWestIncludingAffairHuman RightsGermanyDecision MakingRepublicNational SecurityMaintainingDifficult DecisionsDecision Making ProcessDemocracy And Human RightsRealpolitik Author:John McCain
“I've written a book entitled 'Islam: the Challenges of Democracy,' because it is a challenge. It requires careful interpretation of the Islamic tradition and Islamic theology, and there's a lot in there that would support democratic ideals.” BookChallengesSupportDemocracyWrittenIdealsTraditionDemocraticIslamCarefulTheologyIslamicInterpretationEntitledDemocratic Ideals Author:Khaled Abou El Fadl
“A well-functioning democracy has a culture of free speech, not simply legal protection of free speech. It encourages independence of mind. It imparts a willingness to challenge prevailing opinion through both words and deeds. Equally important, it encourages a certain set of attitudes in listeners, one that gives a respectful hearing to those who do not embrace the conventional wisdom. In a culture of free speech, the attitude of listeners is no less important than that of speakers.” GivingMindWellsImportantCertainCultureChallengesAttitudeOpinionDemocracySpeechIndependenceEmbraceDeedsHearingProtectionWillingnessSpeakersFree SpeechConventionalListenersRespectfulImpartPrevailingDemocracies HaveConventional Wisdom Author:Cass Sunstein
“We have laid the foundation for a better life. Things that were unimaginable a few years ago have become everyday reality. I belong to the generation of leaders for whom the achievement of democracy was the defining challenge.” YearsRealityChallengesLeaderDemocracyGenerationsAchievementYears AgoFoundationEverydayBetter LifeDefiningUnimaginable Author:Nelson Mandela
“I believe that here in South Africa, with all our diversities of colour and race; we will show the world a new pattern for democracy. There is a challenge for us to set a new example for all. Let us not side step this task.” WorldBelieveShowsI BelieveSidesChallengesRaceStepsDemocracyExampleDiversityTasksSouthPatternsColourSouth Africa Author:Albert Lutuli
“The war against ISIS will pose many new challenges for the next commander-in-chief. The last two presidents [George W. Bush and Barack Obama] pursued a Middle East policy that supported toppling dictators to try to promote democracy.” TryingTwoWarLastsNextPresidentChallengesDemocracyMiddlePolicyEastChiefsBarackMiddle EastDictatorPursuedIsisCommandersCommander In ChiefNew ChallengesPresident George W Bush Author:Wolf Blitzer
“It can sound trite if you just say citizens need to be educated for democracy to work, but for him it wasn't trite. It was really this strenuous challenge to citizens to use their moments of leisure, which he defined as time away from work, to collect the facts that were necessary for full democratic participation.” IfsNeedsMomentsFactsUseSoundChallengesDemocracyCitizensDemocraticEducatedDefinedLeisureParticipationTime Away Author:Jeffrey Rosen
“American democracy faces a massive challenge. I don't think it is a certainty that we're headed toward Putin's Russia, as some commentariat does. But people need to mobilize and build up small-d democratic institutions to prepare against that eventuality.” PeopleThinkingNeedsDoeFacesChallengesDemocracyInstitutionsDemocraticRussiaCertaintyMassivePutinAmerican Democracy Author:Jonathan Chait