“We must face the bitter fact that we have forsaken our great dream of a life of, for, and by the people; that the burning passions and ideals of the American dream lie congealed by cold cynicism. Great parts of the masses of our people no longer believe that they have a voice or a hand in shaping the destiny of this nation. They have not forsaken democracy because of any desire or positive action of their own; they have been driven down into the depths of a great despair born of frustration, hopelessness, and apathy. A democracy lacking in popular participation dies of paralysis.” PeopleBelieveHas BeensFactsDreamHandsActionAmericaFacesLyingDesireDiesPassionNationsVoiceBornDestinyDemocracyColdDespairMassIdealsDepthDrivenBitterBurningFrustrationApathyCynicismAmerican DreamLackingParticipationHopelessnessParalysisForsakenBurning Passion Author:Saul Alinsky
“My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.” GovernmentTogetherLevelsDemocracyCreatingCommittedAdministrationWorking TogetherOpennessCollaborationEfficiencyParticipationEffectivenessTransparencyUnprecedentedPublic TrustCooperation And Collaboration Author:Barack Obama
“We all know that election reform takes time. That's because those who have benefited from the system are the ones who fight hardest to preserve it. So if we're going to succeed, we need an independent coalition of citizens who believe in reform, who believe that our election laws should treat every voter equally, who believe that low levels of competition and participation are not healthy for democracy. The Independence Party is helping to build that coalition and I am happy to join you in doing so.” IfsKnowsNeedsShouldBelieveHelpingLawFightingLevelsPartyDemocracyCitizensHealthySucceedLowsTreatsIndependentElectionIndependenceCompetitionHardestReformPreservesVotersTake TimeParticipationCoalitionsLow Level Author:Michael Bloomberg
“Some observers compare elections in some countries with sports events, where people are but spectators. Moreover, elections must not be mere interludes for pushing a lever and then retreating to passivity, for democracy demands committed participation in the daily workings of society.” PeopleCountrySportsDemocracyEventsDemandElectionMereCommittedComparePushingParticipationObserversSpectatorsPassivityLeversDaily Work Author:Alfred-Maurice de Zayas
“The war industries in many countries and the enormous trade in weapons of all kinds generate corruption and fuel conflict throughout the world. The existence of an immensely powerful military-industrial complex constitutes a danger to democracy, both internationally and domestically, because it follows its own logic and operates independently of popular participation.” WorldKindWarCountryPowerfulExistenceDemocracyMilitaryDangerIndustryConflictWeaponsLogicTradeComplexesCorruptionEnormousAll KindsFuelParticipationMilitary Industrial Complex Author:Alfred-Maurice de Zayas
“As far as domestic democracy, all here present know that democracy means government of the people by the people. While we agree that consultation and participation are essential to every democracy, this is seldom achieved in practice.” PeopleKnowsMeanGovernmentPracticeDemocracyEssentialsAgreeParticipationConsultation Author:Alfred-Maurice de Zayas
“A democracy can't succeed without people's participation. 'MyGov' empowers the people of India to contribute towards Surajya.” PeopleMotivationDemocracySucceedIndiaEmpoweringParticipation Author:Narendra Modi
“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
“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
“To pay attention to the actual core of the movement - that would be pretty hard. Can you concentrate for example on either the policy issues or the creation of functioning democratic communities of mutual support and say, well, that's what's lacking in our country that's why we don't have a functioning democracy - a community of real participation. That's really important. And that always gets smashed.” WellsImportantRealCountryHardWould BeCommunityPayAttentionSupportDemocracyIssuesPolicyExampleMovementCreationDemocraticCoreOur CountryPay AttentionMutualLackingParticipationMutual Support Author:Noam Chomsky
“One of the most interesting reactions to come out of 1968 was in the first publication of the Trilateral Commission, which believed there was a 'crisis of democracy' from too much participation of the masses.” FirstsInterestingDemocracyToo MuchMassCrisisReactionsParticipationMost InterestingPublication Author:Noam Chomsky
“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
“I care deeply about women's rights. I have been an outspoken advocate for them for many years and as secretary of state I carried that message around the world because empowering women, providing for women's rights, their full participation in society, politics, the economy is not only a matter of individuals being able to chart their own futures. It's good for democracy and it's good for peace and prosperity.” WorldYearsHas BeensMatterStatesCareAbleIndividualEconomyDemocracyRightsMessagesProsperityAround The WorldEmpoweringProvidingWomens RightsSecretaryI CareParticipationEmpowering WomenOutspoken Author:Hillary Clinton
“Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, all the time.” DemocracyDemandParticipation Author:Hillary Clinton