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Democracy Quotes

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Democracy Quotes

“Thus, experience has ever shown, that education, as well as religion, aristocracy, as well as democracy and monarchy, are, singly, totally inadequate to the business of restraining the passions of men, of preserving a steady government, and protecting the lives, liberties, and properties of the people . . . . Religion, superstition, oaths, education, laws, all give way before passions, interest, and power, which can be resisted only by passions, interest, and power.”

PeopleMenWayGivingWellsGovernmentLawPassionInterestLibertyDemocracyHuman NaturePropertySteadySuperstitionsMonarchyOathInadequateAristocracyRestraining
Author:John Adams
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“[D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few.”

MenGovernmentEyeWealthAbilityPleasureLibertyMoralVirtueDemocracyIntellectualPropertyWitEvery ManCrueltyReputationSecureAnarchyProperty RightsDegeneratesMouldWantonCapriciousSubordinationMoral Virtues
Author:John Adams
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“We want no dictatorship of physicists, as physicists. If our democracy is to realize its full promise, we want no dictatorship at all - of any species. What we want and need is the enlightened and active interest of all men of intelligence and goodwill in their government, and their participation in its functions.”

IfsMenWantNeedsGovernmentInterestRealizingDemocracyPromiseFunctionSpeciesIntelligenceActiveEnlightenedDictatorshipParticipationPhysicistGoodwillWants And Needs
Author:Jerome Frank
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“There is a connection waiting to be made between the decline in democratic participation and the explosion in new ways of communicating. We need not accept the paradox that gives us more ways than ever to speak, and leaves the public with a wider feeling than ever before that their voices are not being heard. The new technologies can strengthen our democracy, by giving us greater opportunities than ever before for better transparency and a more responsive relationship between government and electors”

WayNeedsGivingMadeFeelingsGovernmentOpportunityPoliticsSpeakWaitingVoiceAcceptingTechnologyDemocracyGreaterHeardInternetConnectionsDemocraticCommunicateParadoxDeclineNew WaysParticipationExplosionsTransparencyNew Technology
Author:Robin Cook
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“Civil rights, as we may remember, are reducible to three primary heads; the right of personal security; the right of personal liberty; and the right of private property. In a state of slavery, the two last are wholly abolished, the person of the slave being at the absolute disposal of his master; and property, what he is incapable, in that state, either of acquiring, or holding, in his own use. Hence, it will appear how perfectly irreconcilable a state of slavery is to the principles of a democracy, which form the basis and foundation of our government.”

MayPersonsTwoStatesUseGovernmentLastsRememberFormThreeLibertyPrinciplesDemocracyRightsSecurityMastersBasesAbsolutesFoundationSlaveryPropertySlaveCivil RightsPrimariesIncapablePrivate PropertyPersonal LibertyPersonal Security
Book:A Dissertation on Slavery: With a Proposal for the Gradual Abolition of it in the State of Virginia
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“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty.”

MenLongFactsGovernmentLastsRememberFormPassionSimpleDemocracyViolenceEffectsProduceProudWasteMurderSuicideSelfishCommitCrueltyVainFraudAmbitiousMonarchySuitableAristocracyDemocracies HaveViolence And Cruelty
Author:John Adams
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“The people as a body cannot deliberate. Nevertheless, they will feel an irresistible impulse to act, and their resolutions will be dictated to them by their demagogues... and the violent men, who are the most forward to gratify those passions, will be their favorites. What is called the government of the people is in fact too often the arbitrary power of such men. Here, then, we have the faithful portrait of democracy.”

PeopleMenFeelsFactsBodyGovernmentPassionDemocracyViolentImpulseFaithfulResolutionNeverthelessPortraitsDeliberateArbitraryIrresistibleViolent Man
Book:Works of Fisher Ames: With a Selection from His Speeches and Correspondence
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“The world has paid a heavy price for the lack of democracy in most of the Middle East. Operation Ajax [CIA code for the August 1953 coup] taught tyrants and aspiring tyrants there that the world's most powerful governments were willing to tolerate limitless oppression as long as oppressive regimes were friendly to the West and to Western oil companies. That helped tilt the political balance in a vast region away from freedom and toward dictatorship.”

WorldLongGovernmentPoliticalPowerfulCompanyDemocracyMiddleTaughtWillingBalancePaidWestWesternHeavyOilEastOppressionCodeOperationsRegionsFriendlyMost PowerfulTyrantsRegimesMiddle EastDictatorshipTolerateLimitlessCiaAugustCoupsTiltOil CompaniesAjaxPowerful Government
Author:Stephen Kinzer
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“The cold war provided the perfect excuse for Western governments to plunder and exploit the Third World in the name of freedom; to rig its elections, bribe its politicians, appoint its tyrants and, by every sophisticated means of persuasion and interference, stunt the emergence of young democracies in the name of democracy.”

WorldMeanWarGovernmentYoungNamesPerfectDemocracyColdPoliticianThirdsElectionWesternExcuseTyrantsSophisticatedCold WarPersuasionExploitsInterferenceThird WorldEmergenceBribePlunderRigs
Author:John le Carre
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“The United States has given frequent and enthusiastic support to the overthrow of democracy in favor of "investor friendly" regimes. The World Bank, IMF, and private banks have consistently lavished huge sums on terror regimes, following their displacement of democratic governments, and a number of quantitative studies have shown a systematic positive relationship between U.S. and IMF / World Bank aid to countries and their violations of human rights.”

WorldHumansCountryStatesGovernmentGivenUnitedNumbersUnited StatesSupportDemocracyStudyRightsHugeDemocraticHuman RightsTerrorFollowingAidsFavorsFriendlyInvestorsRegimesConsistentlyEnthusiasticViolationSystematicDisplacementDemocratic GovernmentImfWorld BankViolation Of Human RightsPositive Relationship
Author:Edward S. Herman
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“As a form of government, imperialism does not seek or require the consent of the governed. It is a pure form of tyranny. The American attempt to combine domestic democracy with such tyrannical control over foreigners is hopelessly contradictory and hypocritical. A country can be democratic or it can be imperialistic, but it cannot be both.”

DoeCountryGovernmentFormDemocracyPureDemocraticTyrannyConsentImperialismContradictoryForeignersForms Of GovernmentHypocriticalConsent Of The Governed
Book:Dismantling the Empire: America's Last Best Hope
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“Certainly, if we believe in democracy and democratic systems, when [Benazir Bhutto] failed to pass any legislation, really, at all in her first two years in government during her first term and in fact had a tenure that was marked not only by gross corruption but by human rights abuses, that should have been a time for people to say, "Well, OK, we've given you an opportunity and you haven't bettered the institutions, you haven't strengthened the democratic cause - we may not vote you back."”

PeopleIfsShouldYearsFirstsBelieveHumansWellsMayHas BeensTwoFactsGovernmentOpportunityGivenCausesTermDemocracyRightsHavensShould HaveVoteAbuseInstitutionsDemocraticHuman RightsCorruptionTwo YearsLegislationGrossShould Have BeenTenureBhutto
Author:Fatima Bhutto
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“Pakistan is, I always feel, hopeful. You know, our system of government is not, and the system of foreign policy whereby we do whatever is asked of us as long as the price is right only proves to fundamentalist outfits and to militant groups that when we talk of things like democracy, when we talk of things like foreign policy, what we're really talking about is being pro-American.”

KnowsFeelsLongGovernmentTalkingDemocracyGroupsPolicyProveHopefulForeign PolicyPakistanFundamentalistMilitantOutfitsSystems Of Government
Author:Fatima Bhutto
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“Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.”

Has BeensGovernmentPoliticalPassionFoundPerfectOpinionDemocracyRightsMankindSecurityPoliticianPropertySpeciesPossessionViolentReducingDemocracies HaveContentionFederalistSpectaclesFederalist PapersTurbulencePolitical RightsPersonal Security
Book:The Fœderalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favor of the New Constitution, as Agreed Upon by the Fœderal Convention, September 17, 1787. Reprinted from the Original Text. With an Historical Introduction and Notes
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“If democracy is control by the people, as it is supposed to be, it is the right form of government. I believe in a complete democracy - individual, political, social, economic. If we really had that, which we don't now, it would be in harmony with divine purpose.”

PeopleIfsBelieveGovernmentWould BeFormPoliticalPurposeIndividualI BelieveSocialDemocracyEconomicDivineHarmonyI Believe InSupposed To BeForms Of GovernmentDivine Purpose
Book:Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words
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“A profound transformation is happening here. The framers of our nation never envisioned these huge media giants; never imagined what could happen if big government, big publishing and big broadcasters ever saw eye-to-eye in putting the public's need for news second to their own interests. I approach the end of my own long run believing more strongly than ever that the quality of journalism and the quality of democracy are inextricably joined ... .”

IfsNeedsBelieveLongEndsBigsGovernmentHappensEyeRunningNationsInterestMy OwnQualityDemocracySawsMediaHugeApproachNewsHappeningsTransformationProfoundJournalismGiantsPublishingLong RunsBig GovernmentBroadcastersFramers
Author:Bill Moyers
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“If democracy is ever to be threatened, it will not be by revolutionary groups burning government offices and occupying the broadcasting and newspaper offices of the world. It will come from disenchantment, cynicism and despair caused by the realisation that the New World Order means we are all to be managed and not represented.”

IfsWorldMeanGovernmentPoliticalOrderDemocracyGroupsRevolutionPoliticianDespairOfficeNewspapersManageBurningRevolutionaryRealisingNew WorldCynicismThreatenedRepresentingNew World OrderWorld OrderRealisationBroadcastingDisenchantment
Author:Tony Benn
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“The first and most important thing to understand about politics is this: forget Right, Left, Center, socialism, fascism, or democracy. Every government that exists - or ever existed, or ever will exist - is a kleptocracy, meaning "rule by thieves." Competing ideologies merely provide different excuses to separate the Productive Class from what they produce.”

FirstsImportantDifferentGovernmentLeftForgetClassDemocracyProduceImportant ThingsExcuseSocialismIdeologyProductiveFascismThievesCompeting
Author:L. Neil Smith
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“We need a growing middle class, not one that has been disappearing for 40 years. We need a vibrant one person-one vote democracy, not one which is dominated by billionaire campaign contributors. It's time for a political revolution. It's time to make our government work for all of us, and not just the 1%.”

NeedsYearsPersonsHas BeensGovernmentPoliticalClassDemocracyGrowingMiddleRevolutionVoteDisappearCampaignsMiddle ClassBillionaireContributorsPolitical RevolutionGovernment Work
Author:Bernie Sanders
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“I think democracies are prone to inflation because politicians will naturally spend [excessively] - they have the power to print money and will use money to get votes. If you look at inflation under the Roman Empire, with absolute rulers, they had much greater inflation, so we don't set the record. It happens over the long-term under any form of government.”

IfsThinkingLooksLongUseGovernmentHappensFormTermDemocracyRecordsGreaterPoliticianVoteAbsolutesLong TermEmpiresPrintRulersInflationForms Of GovernmentRoman Empire
Author:Charlie Munger
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“Of course, corporations and governments have a right to something for their money. They pay the wages. But they don't have the ethical right to literally purchase the copyright of a citizen's potential contribution to society. In a democracy they should not have the legal right to silence the quasi-totality of the functioning élite in order to satisfy a managerial taste for control and secrecy.”

ShouldGovernmentOrderCoursesPaySilenceDemocracyCitizensTasteCorporationsContributionEthicalWagesSecrecyTotalityCopyrightContribution To Society
Author:John Ralston Saul
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“As believers in democracy we have not only the right but the duty to question existing mechanisms of, say, suffrage and to inquire whether some functional organization would not serve to formulate and manifest public opinion better than the existing methods. It is not irrelevant to the point that a score of passages could be cited in which Jefferson refers to the American Government as an experiment.”

GovernmentOpinionDemocracyDutyOrganizationMethodBelieverExperimentsScoreManifestPassagesMechanismIrrelevantPublic OpinionSuffrageAmerican Government
Book:The Later Works, 1925-1953: 1938-1939
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“I love talking about the Kennedy assasination. The reason I do is because I'm fascinated by it. I'm fascinated that our government could lie to us so blatantly, so obviously for so long, and we do absolutely nothing about it. I think that's interesting in what is ostensibly a democracy. Sarcasm - come on in. People say Bill, quit talking about Kennedy man. It was a long time ago, just let it go, alright? It's a long time ago, just forget it. I'm like, alright, then don't bring up Jesus to me. As long as we're talking shelf life here.”

PeopleThinkingMenLongReasonGovernmentLyingJesusForgetInterestingTalkingDemocracyLong TimeBillsQuittingSarcasmFascinatedShelvesForget ItLong Time AgoLet It GoAlrightAbsolutely NothingShelf LifeJust Let It Go
Author:Bill Hicks
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“We will have to work around the world with less than ideal governments. The government in Saudi Arabia is not a democracy, but we will have to work with them. The government in Jordan is not perfect, but we will have to work with them. But anti-American dictators like [Bashar] Assad, who help Hezbollah, who helped get those IEDs into Iraq, if they go, I will not shed a tear.”

IfsWorldHelpingGovernmentPerfectDemocracyTearsIdealsIraqAround The WorldShedDictatorNot PerfectJordanArabiaSaudi ArabiaSaudisAssadHezbollahAnti-american
Author:Marco Rubio
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“The interesting thing about that is one of the greatest critics of socialism and leftwing writings was Robert Michels who wrote a series of essays called "The Iron Law of Oligarchy" and in these essays he discusses how no matter what sorts of freedoms are advertised or put into a society structure, that all societies, all form of governments - whether they be a Roman republic, whether they be a democracy, whether they be a Russian communist system, whatever, a tribe... a tribal council - all of the continuously, throughout the ages, have all converted back into an oligarchy.”

WritingMatterGovernmentAgeFormLawInterestingDemocracyNo Matter WhatStructureSeriesCriticsSocialismIronRepublicCommunistTribesEssaysCouncilInteresting ThingsForms Of GovernmentOligarchy
Author:Immortal Technique
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“Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.”

GovernmentFormPoliticalTimeDemocracyTrustLibertarianTyrannyOperationsSouthernForms Of GovernmentLimited GovernmentDemocracies HaveForefathersIndividual LibertyFree GovernmentLimiting GovernmentTyranny Founding FathersCorrupt GovernmentGovernment TyrannyPower Government
Book:Jefferson: Political Writings
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“Imagine what would happen if the government were to take the wealth of 200,000 of India's richest people and redistribute it amongst 2 million of India's poorest? We would hear a lot about socialist appropriation and the death of democracy. Why should taking from the rich be called appropriation and taking from the poor be called development?”

PeopleIfsShouldGovernmentHappensWealthPoorMillionsDemocracyRichImagineDevelopmentIndiaSocialistPoorestAppropriation
Author:Arundhati Roy
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