“The US two party system is very different, of course. Here the people decides about who should rule them, but it is not reasonable to claim that the people rules itself through the political institutions. In comparison, I find that the standard European system is better, also as a model for global democracy.” PeopleShouldTwoDifferentPoliticalCoursesPartyDemocracyModelsStandardsClaimsInstitutionsReasonableComparisonPolitical InstitutionsTwo Party System Author:Torbjorn Tannsjo
“The American system is, in many ways, more difficult, certainly far more expensive and much longer than a parliamentary system, and I really admire the people who subject themselves to it. Even when I, you know, think they should not be elected president, I still think, well, you know, good for you I guess, you're out there promoting democracy and those crazy ideas of yours.” PeopleThinkingKnowsWayShouldWellsStillsIdeasDifficultPresidentDemocracyCrazySubjectsAdmireExpensivePromotingParliamentaryCrazy IdeasParliamentary System Author:Hillary Clinton
“I really want to get the word out to people to register because of course, the more people vote, the more our democracy works.” PeopleWantCoursesDemocracyVoteRegister Author:Natalie Portman
“In the 19th century it was basically nationality and people trying to define their nationalism and create states which would reflect their nationalism. In the 20th century, ideology came to the fore, largely, but not exclusively, as a result of the Russian Revolution and we have fascism, communism and liberal democracy competing with each other. Well that's pretty much over.” PeopleTryingWellsStatesResultsDemocracyCenturyRevolutionIdeologyCommunismNationalismFascismCompeting20th CenturyNationality19th CenturyRussian RevolutionLiberal Democracy Author:Samuel P. Huntington
“When you try to sow the seeds of doubt in people`s minds about the legitimacy of our election, that undermines democracy. Then you`re doing the work of our adversaries for them.” PeopleTryingMindDemocracyDoubtElectionSeedsAdversariesLegitimacy Author:Barack Obama
“You do not keep American democracy in suspense. Because, look, too many people have marched and protested and fought and died for this democracy.” PeopleLooksDemocracyDiedSuspenseAmerican Democracy Author:Michelle Obama
“I have just as much right to stay in America - in fact, the black people have contributed more to America than any other race, because our kids have fought here for what was called "democracy"; our mothers and fathers were sold and bought here for a price. So all I can say when they say "go back to Africa," I say "when you send the Chinese back to China, the Italians back to Italy, etc., and you get on that Mayflower from whence you came, and give the Indians their land back, who really would be here at home?"” PeopleGivingI CanFactsHomeWould BeKidsAmericaMotherFatherBlackRaceDemocracyLandChinaChineseEtcBlack PeopleMother And FatherMayflower Author:Fannie Lou Hamer
“As I was saying, half a democracy is showing up and people have got not only to agree with this agenda, some of these third parties listeners, they've got to show up.” PeopleShowsPartyHalfDemocracyThirdsAgreeAgendasListenersShowing UpThird Parties Author:Ralph Nader
“You said, 'How is it possible for democracy to work with an illiterate people who are dying of hunger?' But with that people we made a democracy work.” PeopleMadeSaidDemocracyDyingHungerIlliteratePeople Who Are Dying Author:Indira Gandhi
“I think this an outrage and I think the fact that the KGB is involved in this election [2016] is an outrage and I think the American people ought to take their democracy back regardless of what the press wants to do and the excuses they want to make for [James] Comey. That's what I think.” PeopleThinkingWantFactsDemocracyOughtInvolvedElectionPressesExcuseOutrageKgb Author:James Carville
“There are people working their butts off trying to save our republic and save democracy from the likes of powerful people in the Democrat Party who want to take this country and turn it into a personal little playground for their own private gain.” PeopleWantTryingLittlesCountryTurnsPowerfulPartyDemocracyGainsDemocratLikesRepublicPlaygrounds Author:Rush Limbaugh
“I think the American people ought to take their democracy back.” PeopleThinkingDemocracyOught Author:James Carville
“I'm sometimes impatient with young people who demonstrate at my meetings and who don't want an argument, but who just want to go on television as having been there and made a fuss. This doesn't mean I don't believe in participatory democracy.” PeopleWantBelieveMeanMadeSometimesYoungDemocracyTelevisionGoes OnArgumentMeetingsDon't BelieveImpatientParticipatory Democracy Author:Pierre Trudeau
“India is a huge democracy. Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi has ambitions to try to fix the infrastructure, the rules, taxes, education, and to lift up the Indian people. And we're hopeful that that's going to create positive momentum.” PeopleTryingDemocracyHugeTaxesAmbitionIndiaIndianLiftsMinistersHopefulPrimePrime MinisterInfrastructureMomentum Author:Jamie Dimon
“I believe devoutly that the national election is the closest thing we have to a civic sacrament of democracy. And I really do think that heed must be paid, and when people make a decision, those who are on the other side, including me, accept it, for that reason.” PeopleThinkingBelieveReasonI BelieveSidesDecisionAcceptingDemocracyPaidElectionIncludingClosestSacramentsCivicsHeed Author:Mark Shields
“I would encourage people to bridge broadly and creatively in their communities, not just because that creates the most fun and resiliency, but also because it creates the most points of access for people to be part of the community, which is what democracy is at its best.” PeopleFunCommunityDemocracyAccessBridgesResiliency Author:Dar Williams
“The post-Second World War simple system of social democracy and organized labour has fragmented massively, but just because people aren't organized in workplace trade unions doesn't mean they aren't in associations with other people - work-based, place-based, culture-based, sport-based, faith-based - there's a bit of an old rainbow coalition argument.” PeopleWorldMeanWarCultureSocialBitsSportsSimpleDemocracyArgumentTradeUnionsPostsWar Of The WorldsOrganizedLabourAssociationRainbowWorkplaceCoalitionsSecond World WarFragmentedTrade UnionsFaith BasedSocial Democracy Author:Duncan Green
“America is not a democracy. I think if your kids understood that - and most people don't. We are a representative republic. We're not a direct democracy.” PeopleIfsThinkingKidsAmericaDemocracyUnderstoodDirectRepublicRepresentativesDirect Democracy Author:Rush Limbaugh
“Let's pretend six people live in your house. And you propose that only four people get to eat every day, and you put it to a vote. If four people vote that only four people get to eat, two people don't, that prevails. That's what a democracy is. It's strictly majority-minority rule.” PeopleIfsTwoHouseDemocracyFourSixVoteMajorityMinoritiesPropose Author:Rush Limbaugh
“The American founding is not just about a group of people, a group of men. It is about an ideal: Both a vision and understanding of the very essence of democracy, constitutional government, a representative republic, and the remarkably powerful concept of being endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.” PeopleMenGovernmentCertainUnderstandingPowerfulVisionDemocracyRightsGroupsConceptsIdealsEssenceCreatorRepublicRepresentativesFoundingConstitutional GovernmentUnalienable Rights Author:Paul Kengor
“Different political views, even if they're all liberal, in the sense of supporting liberal constitutional democracy, undoubtedly have some notion of the common good in the form of the means provided to assure that people can make use of their liberties, and the like.” PeopleIfsMeanDifferentUseFormPoliticalViewsCommonLibertyDemocracyNotionCommon GoodPolitical View Book:Collected Papers Source: Collected Papers
“The neoliberal programs of the last generation have in fact been, and were intended to be, a pretty serious attack on democracy, but also they've led to stagnation or decline for large parts of the population - the working class, the lower middle class, these people have essentially been cast aside.” PeopleFactsLastsClassDemocracyGenerationsMiddleSeriousProgramCastsPopulationMiddle ClassDeclineWorking ClassStagnation Author:Noam Chomsky
“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
“[Fall of the Berlin Wall] is a reminder that the commitment of the United States, to Europe is enduring and it's rooted in the values we share; our commitment to democracy, our commitment to rule of law, our commitment to the dignity of all people in our own countries and around the world.” PeopleWorldCountryStatesLawValuesFallUnitedUnited StatesDemocracyShareWallCommitmentEuropeDignityEndureAround The WorldRootedRemindersBerlinRule Of LawBerlin Wall Author:Barack Obama
“One of the great things about our democracy is it expresses itself in all sorts of ways. And that includes people protesting. I've been the subject of protests during the course of my eight years and I suspect that there's not a president in our history that at some point hasn't been subject to these protests.” PeopleWayYearsCoursesPresidentDemocracySubjectsEightGreat ThingsProtestSuspects Author:Barack Obama
“If people, whether they are conservative or liberal, left or right, are unwilling to compromise and engage in the democratic process, and are taking absolutist views, and demonizing opponents, then democracy will break down.” PeopleIfsLeftProcessViewsBreakDemocracyDemocraticConservativeCompromiseOpponentsBreaking DownUnwillingDemocratic Process Author:Barack Obama
“The good news is I think there are a lot of young people certainly who were involved in my campaigns, and I think continue to be involved in work not just politically, but through nonprofits and other organizations, that can carry this hard work of democracy forward.” PeopleThinkingHardYoungDemocracyHard WorkInvolvedNewsOrganizationCampaignsGood NewsNonprofits Author:Barack Obama
“I fortunately know very many people, and there are many, many more that I don't know and many politicians who stand up for the same values of democracy of liberal societies, of open societies of respect for the dignity of man.” PeopleKnowsMenValuesDemocracyPoliticianDignity Author:Angela Merkel
“All of those on the left, as I am, have always vastly preferred the democratic society over the hierarchical society and still do, but the democratic culture doesn't exist without highly informed citizens capable of thinking well, and if you have schools in which 40 percent of the people coming out of them cannot make change for a dollar, you don't have a democracy. You have a sibling society.” PeopleIfsThinkingWellsStillsSchoolCultureLeftDemocracyCitizensCapablePercentDollarsDemocraticComing OutSiblingDemocratic SocietyInformed Citizens Author:Robert Bly
“The people who say they're for democracy want nothing to do with democracy.” PeopleWantDemocracy Author:John Cusack
“The Arab spring reminds me a bit of the decolonisation process where one country gets independence and everybody else wants it. How about us, when do we get it, when do we make our move? And you have a situation where someone has been in power for decades, where the integrity of elections, democracy and security have really not been debated or discussed and most people suspect that elections are rigged and that the democratic rotation that elections are supposed to ensure doesn't really happen. And when this goes on for a while you are sitting on a powder keg.” PeopleWantHas BeensCountryHappensMovingBitsProcessSituationDemocracySecurityGoes OnIntegritySpringSittingElectionIndependenceDemocraticDecadesSuspectsPowderRiggedRotationArab SpringKegs Author:Kofi Annan
“Our concern is to help people counter the efforts of those who seek to "regiment the public mind every bit as much as an army regiments the bodies of its soldiers," so that the self-designated "responsible men" will be able to run the affairs of the world untroubled by the "bewildered herd" - the general public - who are to be marginalized and dispersed, directed to personal concerns, in a well-regulated "democracy."” PeopleMenWorldMindWellsSelfHelpingBodyRunningAbleBitsEffortDemocracyConcernArmyResponsibleAffairSoldierHerdsBewilderedMarginalizedGeneral Public Author:Noam Chomsky
“Just the fact that we can't pass budgets in our Congress, just the fact that we are gridlocked in our own democracy, the fact that everybody who travels can see that we're not investing in our airports, in our rail, in our infrastructure and so forth, people are noticing a United States that is not getting the job done in some ways.” PeopleWayStatesDoneFactsJobsUnitedUnited StatesDemocracyInvestingCongressBudgetsAirportsInfrastructureNoticingRail Author:John F. Kerry
“The Greek people not only relate to the ancient traditions, they have fought, they have shed blood, until recently, to defend the values of democracy and freedom.” PeopleValuesDemocracyBloodTraditionAncientRelateGreekShed Author:Alexis Tsipras
“I am interested in making sure that the people of Cyprus will be able to live in a reunited Cyprus, where they are free, where there's a democracy, freedom and Cyprus is a member of the European Union.” PeopleAbleDemocracyMembersUnionsEuropean UnionReunitedDemocracy FreedomCyprus Author:Alexis Tsipras
“[For business after WWII ] democracy means getting people to regard government as an alien force that's robbing them and oppressing them, not as their government. In a democracy it would be your government.” PeopleMeanGovernmentWould BeForceDemocracyRegardAliensWwiiRobbing Author:Noam Chomsky
“Today, of course, the world's perception of India has changed tremendously. People understand its role in world affairs; they understand that India is not some backward nation. In fact, it is the fastest growing free-market democracy in the world today, and that says it all.” PeopleWorldFactsTodayCoursesNationsRolesDemocracyGrowingChangedPerceptionIndiaAffairFree MarketWorld TodayWorld Affairs Author:Kabir Bedi
“Mahatma Gandhi I would say had perhaps a greater spiritual quality whereas Winston Churchill had besides the courage, ability and above everything else, the ability to put into words what his people felt so that he could always lead them. And my own husband I think had great patience, which you need in a democracy because you have to come to do fundamental things, you have to have the patience to have people educated; and then I think he had a deep interest in human beings as human beings.” PeopleThinkingNeedsHumansSpiritualFeltInterestMy OwnHuman BeingsAbilityQualityDemocracyGreaterHusbandFundamentalsEducatedGreat Patience Author:Eleanor Roosevelt
“I'm enormously interested in freedom and retaining the right to have whatever economy we want and to shape it as we want and a having sufficient Democracy so that the people actually hold their Government in their own hands.” PeopleWantHandsGovernmentEconomyDemocracyShapesSufficientRetaining Author:Eleanor Roosevelt
“I was born a Zionist, because I didn't have a choice about that. It was the ether of my family life, but I certainly broke with it as I asked more questions about it. And that doesn't mean I want to see the destruction of a people, it means I want to see a state structure that might embody more substantially the basic principles of democracy.” PeopleWantMeanStatesMightChoicesBornPrinciplesDemocracyMy FamilyDestructionStructureBrokeFamily LifeZionistBasic Principles Author:Judith Butler
“Such a small percentage of our population carry the burden of knowing what's really going on in our country's name, and I think that unless that's out in the open and people are discussing it, then our healthy democracy is not so healthy.” PeopleThinkingCountryNamesKnowingDemocracyHealthyPopulationBurdenOur CountryPercentagesDiscussing Author:Lisa Ling
“Islamism implies some sort of political and social plan for Muslim people. In that classification, we find different categories. Legalist ones, traditional ones and revolutionary ones. Some of them are revolutionary but are non-violent, others are extremely violent. There are also the ones we call the literalists, like the Egyptian party Hizb al-Nour that used to be against democracy and now is getting into the political game.” PeopleDifferentPoliticalUsedGamesSocialPartyDemocracyPlansViolentTraditionalUsed To BeRevolutionaryAlsCategoriesEgyptianClassificationNon ViolentPolitical Games Author:Tariq Ramadan
“I'm talking of the idea, basically very widespread in America, that the less government the better, which is obviously being used to the advantage of the big corporations, but none-the-less has very radical implications. The idea of a people that exercises a great deal of federalist or confederalist control, the ideal of a grass-roots type of democracy, the idea of the freedom of the individual which is not to get lost in the mazes of anarcho-egotism à la Stirner, or for that matter right-wing libertarianism.” PeopleIdeasMatterBigsGovernmentAmericaUsedIndividualLostDealsTalkingDemocracyTypeExerciseAdvantageIdealsRootsWingsRadicalCorporationsGrassLibertarianismEgotismImplicationsRight WingMazesFederalistBig Corporations Author:Murray Bookchin
“This rationale, which justified the mixed constitution of Great Britain, might have made some sense in 1776, but by 1787 most American thinkers had come to believe that all parts of their balanced governments represented in one way or another the sovereign people. They had left the Aristotelian idea of mixed estates - monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy - way behind. [John] Adams had not, and his stubbornness on this point caused him no end of trouble.” PeopleWayBelieveMadeIdeasEndsGovernmentMightLeftBehindsDemocracyTroubleConstitutionOne WayBritainThinkerBalancedEstatesSovereignJustifiedMonarchyAristocracyStubbornnessGreat BritainRationale Author:Gordon S. Wood