“To include freedom in the very definition of democracy is to define a process not by its actual characteristics as a process but by its hoped for results. This is not only intellectually invalid, it is, in practical terms, blinding oneself in advance to some of the unwanted consequences of the process.” ProcessTermResultsDemocracyConsequenceOneselfDefinitionsPracticalsCharacteristicsUnwanted Author:Thomas Sowell
“In America, unlike England, unlike Israel, unlike Japan, other democracies, we have elections that have staggered terms.” AmericaTermDemocracyEnglandElectionIsraelJapan Author:Barney Frank
“Even if Zuma was to develop the authoritarian impulses of a Mugabe, he would be checked - not least by his own party, which set a continental precedent by ousting Thabo Mbeki in 2007, after it felt he had outstayed his welcome by seeking a third term as party president. The ANC appears to have set itself against that deathtrap of African democracy: the ruler for life.” IfsWould BeFeltPresidentTermPartyDemocracyThirdsSeekingWelcomeImpulseRulersPrecedentContinentalMugabeZuma Author:Mark Gevisser
“The honest and serious student of American history will recall that our Founding Fathers managed to write both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution without using the term 'democracy' even once. No part of any of the existing state Constitutions contains any reference to the word. [The men] who were most influential in the institution and formulation of our government refer to 'democracy' only to distinguish it sharply from the republican form of our American Constitutional system.” MenWritingStatesGovernmentFormFatherTermDemocracyHonestStudentsHe ManSeriousRepublicanConstitutionIndependenceInstitutionsHistoricalRecallsAmerican HistoryDeclarationFoundingInfluentialOur Founding FathersDeclaration Of Independence Author:Clarence Manion
“We live in the age of "Everything Has Rights." Now, I'm not denying that the concept of rights is valid, but I wonder whatever happened to obligations? One rarely hears the term anymore. Indeed, have you ever heard of a "human obligations movement?" The very ideal that holds a democracy together--the willingness to make personal sacrifice for the common good--is going quickly by the wayside.” HumansAgeTogetherTermCommonResponsibilityWonderDemocracyRightsHappenedHeardSacrificeMovementConceptsIdealsObligationWillingnessCommon GoodPersonal Sacrifice Author:John Rosemond
“There are two kinds of comprehensive doctrines, religious and secular. Those of religious faith will say I give a veiled argument for secularism, and the latter will say I give a veiled argument for religion. I deny both. Each side presumes the basic ideas of constitutional democracy, so my suggestion is that we can make our political arguments in terms of public reason. Then we stand on common ground. That's how we can understand each other and cooperate.” GivingKindTwoIdeasReasonPoliticalSidesTermReligiousCommonDemocracyArgumentDenyDoctrineLatterSecularSuggestionsReligious FaithSecularismComprehensiveCommon GroundPolitical Arguments Author:John Rawls
“The successful politician owes his power to the fact that he moves within the accepted framework of thought, that he thinks and talks conventionally. It would be almost a contradiction in terms for a politician to be a leader in the field of ideas. His task in a democracy is to find out what the opinions held by the largest number are, not to give currency to new opinions which may become the majority view in some distant future.” ThinkingGivingMayIdeasFactsWould BeMovingPoliticsTermViewsNumbersLeaderOpinionPowerDemocracySuccessfulFieldsPoliticianTasksMajorityAcceptedContradictionCurrencyFramework Author:Friedrich August von Hayek
“And what has come to prevail in democracies is the very reverse of beneficial, in those, that is, which are regarded as the most democratically run. The reason for this lies in the failure properly to define liberty. For there are two marks by which democracy is thought to be defined: "sovereignty of the majority" and "liberty." "Just" is equated with what is equal, and the decision of the majority as to what is equal is regarded as sovereign; and liberty is seen in terms of doing what one wants.” WantTwoReasonRunningLyingPoliticsTermDecisionLibertyEconomyDemocracyEqualMarkMajorityDefinedLiberalismReverseSovereignSovereigntyBeneficial Author:Aristotle
“As a prisoner of conscience committed to peaceful transition to democracy, I urge Europe to apply economic sanctions against Ethiopia. What short-term pain may result will be compensated by long-term gain. A pledge to re-engage energetically with a democratic Ethiopia would act as a catalyst for reform.” MayLongPainTermResultsDemocracyEconomicConscienceGainsEuropeDemocraticCommittedPeacefulReformLong TermUrgesPrisonerTransitionShort TermPledgeSanctionsCatalystEthiopiaEconomic Sanctions Author:Eskinder Nega
“Only by transforming our own economy to one of peace can we make possible economic democracy in the Third World or our own country. The present economy generates wars to protect its profits and its short-term interests, while squandering the future. Unless we transform the economy, we cannot end war.” WorldWarEndsCountryTermInterestEconomyDemocracyEconomicProtectEconomicsThirdsProfitShort TermTransformingThird WorldSquandering Author:Starhawk
“Democracy entails a correlation between the public interest as expressed by a majority of the population and the governmental policies that affect them. The term encompasses various manifestations, including direct, participatory and representative democracy, but Governments must be responsive to people and not to special interests such as the military-industrial complex, financial bankers and transnational corporations. Democracy is inclusive and does not privilege an anthropological aristocracy.” PeopleDoeGovernmentTermInterestDemocracySpecialMilitaryPolicyDirectMajorityComplexesIncludingFinancialPrivilegePopulationVariousCorporationsManifestationRepresentativesBankersAristocracySpecial InterestsCorrelationPublic InterestMilitary Industrial ComplexTransnational Corporations Author:Alfred-Maurice de Zayas
“What we have to do is to definitively remove the last vestiges of power from those who treat terms such as liberal democracy, free markets and Europe with suspicion.” LastsTermDemocracyEuropeTreatsRemoveSuspicionFree MarketLiberal Democracy Author:Donald Tusk
“We have, on the whole, more liberty and less equality than Russia has. Russia has less liberty and more equality. Whether democracy should be defined primarily in terms of liberty or equality is a source of unending debate.” ShouldWholeTermLibertyDemocracySourceDebateRussiaDefinedUnending Author:Reinhold Niebuhr
“Nations are like people. Once you understand the interactions between nations, it's easy to understand why things are done, in terms of foreign policy, in a certain way. But nations are not like people in the sense that we are cumulatively represented by others - and their interpretations of what our interests are may not be the same as what they really are. And that's what's dangerous, even in a democracy.” PeopleWayMayDoneCertainNationsEasyTermInterestDemocracyDangerousPolicyInterpretationForeign PolicyInteraction Author:Serj Tankian
“It took six weeks of debate in the Senate to get the Arms Embargo Law repealed--and we face other delays during the present session because most of the Members of the Congress are thinking in terms of next Autumn's election. However, that is one of the prices that we who live in democracies have to pay. It is, however, worth paying, if all of us can avoid the type of government under which the unfortunate population of Germany and Russia must exist.” IfsThinkingGovernmentFacesLawNextTermPayDemocracyWeekArmsTypeMembersSixElectionCongressPopulationDebateRussiaGermanyAutumnSenateDictatorshipUnfortunateDelaySessionDemocracies HaveEmbargo Author:Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Made no mistake: America is a Christian nation. The bedrock of our theo-democracy is our Judeo-Christian values. that term, by the way, is a bit of a misnomer. It implies that Christianity and Judaism are equal.” WayMadeChristianAmericaReligionValuesNationsBitsTermMistakeChristianityDemocracyEqualJudaismBedrockChristian NationChristian ValuesChristianity And Judaism Author:Stephen Colbert
“A democrat must be utterly selfless. He must think and dream not in terms of self or of party, but only of democracy.” ThinkingSelfDreamTermPartyDemocracyDemocratSelfless Book:Gandhi: Selected Political Writings Source: Gandhi: Selected Political Writings
“I'm much more attracted personally to governments going their full term. It's very hard to have a fixed term election I know with ah... a parliamentary democracy, but I've always had an instinct to say there should be a fixed term.” KnowsShouldHardGovernmentTermDemocracyElectionInstinctFixedParliamentaryParliamentary Democracy Author:Jim Bolger
“I call government that works the best for people open society, which is basically just another more general term for a democracy that is - you call it maybe a liberal democracy. It's not only majority rule but also respect for minorities and minority opinions and the rule of law. So it's really a sort of institutional democracy.” PeopleGovernmentLawTermOpinionDemocracyMajorityMinoritiesRule Of LawMajority RuleLiberal Democracy Author:George Soros
“For those people who are going to tune in strictly for the pyrotechnics, we have better and bigger explosions. That's a prerequisite of any sequel. But in terms of this, what we're really monitoring is watching the gas industry light our institutions, light our regulatory agencies, light our democracy on fire.” PeopleLightTermDemocracyFireIndustryBiggerInstitutionsAgencyGasTunesExplosionsSequelsPrerequisitesMonitoringPyrotechnics Author:Josh Fox
“Today the Iraqi and Afghan people are on the path to democracy and freedom. The governments that are rising will pose no threat to others. Instead of harboring terrorists, they're fighting terrorist groups. And this progress is good for the long-term security of all of us.” PeopleLongGovernmentTodayFightingTermDemocracyPathProgressGroupsSecurityThreatTerroristLong TermRisingAfghanTerrorist Groups Author:George W. Bush
“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
“Putting it in plain terms, the general public must be reduced to its traditional apathy and obedience, and driven from the arena of political debate and action, if democracy is to survive.” IfsActionPoliticalTermDemocracyDrivenDebateTraditionalObedienceApathyArenaGeneral PublicPolitical Debates Book:Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies Source: Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies
“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
“I stand on the shoulders of giants that have gone before me, in terms of affording people like myself, women, the access to democracy, the vote, medical treatment, education, everything that I've been given. It's all been earned. Therefore I feel it's incumbent on me personally to just contribute something, to add to a collective voice that needs to be here right now, to build it up to a tipping point, to make the world aware that women's rights still have to be addressed and that the word 'feminism' has been devalued and needs to be reclaimed.” PeopleWorldNeedsFeelsHas BeensStillsGivenVoiceTermGoneDemocracyRightsFeminismRight NowVoteAddAccessMedicalShouldersGiantsCollectivesTreatmentWomens RightsIncumbentsTippingTipping PointMedical TreatmentAffording Author:Annie Lennox
“Vaclav Havel was the most amazing man in terms of being the combination of somebody with massive moral authority, great courage for having espoused the concepts of democracy, freedom throughout a very difficult communist period, a very modest man, and somebody with a fabulous sense of humor and the idea of being able to see the absurd in situations.” MenIdeasAbleDifficultTermSituationMoralDemocracyPeriodsAuthorityConceptsAbsurdCombinationMassiveSense Of HumorCommunistModestFabulousMost AmazingDemocracy FreedomMoral AuthorityAmazing Man Author:Judy Woodruff
“I stand on the shoulders of giants that have gone before me, in terms of affording people like myself, women, the access to democracy, the vote, medical treatment, education, everything that I've been given. It's all been earned.” PeopleGivenTermGoneDemocracyVoteAccessMedicalShouldersGiantsTreatmentMedical TreatmentAffording Author:Annie Lennox
“If elected president I will have a litmus test in terms of my nominee to be a Supreme Court justice. And the nominee will say, we are going to overturn this disastrous decision on Citizens United because that decision is undermining American democracy. I do not believe that billionaires should be allowed to buy politicians.” IfsShouldBelievePresidentTermJusticeDecisionUnitedDemocracyCitizensPoliticianTestsCourtSupremeSupreme CourtBillionaireUnderminingAmerican DemocracySupreme Court JusticeCourt JusticeCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“Citizens often think of a state's interests in terms of the promotion of ideals such as democracy, a particular way of life, or other values which they endorse or see as part of their historical continuity and identity. In this domain as in others values are not fixed, and so a state's interests are dynamic and in a constant state of negotiation and construction.” ThinkingWayStatesValuesTermInterestDemocracyIdentityParticularCitizensIdealsConstantHistoricalFixedConstructionNegotiationDomainPromotionContinuity Author:Dale Jamieson
“Democracy will be transformative. It will help other societies realize the benefits of freedom. Nothing's as big as that, in terms of peace.” HelpingBigsTermRealizingDemocracyBenefitsHelping Others Author:George W. Bush
“When we are fighting for huge stakes - we're fighting for the future - future of the planet in terms of climate change. We're fighting for the future of American democracy.” FightingTermDemocracyPlanetsHugeClimateClimate ChangeStakesAmerican Democracy Author:Bernie Sanders
“In general the 53 countries on the continent of Africa have made great progress towards freedom and democracy, and in terms of electing good, sound administrations.” MadeCountrySoundTermDemocracyProgressAdministrationContinentsGreat Progress Author:Jimmy Carter