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Democracy Quotes

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Democracy Quotes

“Of old, the demagogue was also a general, and then democracies changed into tyrannies. Most of the ancient tyrants were originally demagogues. They are not so now, but they were then; and the reason is that they were generals and not orators, for oratory had not yet come into fashion.”

Reason Government Democracy Fashion Changed Ancient Tyranny Tyrants Orators Oratory

Book:Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 2: The Revised Oxford Translation

Source: Complete Works of Aristotle, Volume 2: The Revised Oxford Translation

“Jealousy is a virtue of democracies which preserves them from tyrants.”

Virtue Democracy Preserves Tyrants

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Anatole France (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Anatole France (Illustrated)

“Despotism subjects a nation to one tyrant; democracy, to many.”

Nations Democracy Subjects Tyrants Despotism

Book:Desultory Thoughts and Reflections

Source: Desultory Thoughts and Reflections

“Republics demanded virtue. Monarchies could rely on coercion and "dazzling splendor" to suppress self-interest or factions; republics relied on the goodness of the people to put aside private interest for public good. The imperatives of virtue attached all sorts of desiderata to the republican citizen: simplicity, frugality, sobriety, simple manners, Christian benevolence, duty to the polity. Republics called on other virtues--spiritedness, courage--to protect the polity from external threats. Tyrants kept standing armies; republics relied on free yeomen, defending their own land.”

“Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one's government is not necessarily to secure freedom.”

Made Facts Government Freedom Liberty Millions Democracy Generations Libertarian Secure Voting Tyrants Libertarianism Dependence Our Generation Inspirational Voting

Author:Friedrich August von Hayek

“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.”

“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.”

“A democracy which makes or even effectively prepares for modern, scientific war must necessarily cease to be democratic. No country can be really well prepared for modern war unless it is governed by a tyrant, at the head of a highly trained and perfectly obedient bureaucracy.”

Wells War Country Literature Politics Democracy Modern Democratic Prepared Cease Tyrants Bureaucracy Obedient Government Bureaucracy Modern War

Book:Ends and Means: An Inquiry Into the Nature of Ideals and Into the Methods Employed for Their Realization

Source: Ends and Means: An Inquiry Into the Nature of Ideals and Into the Methods Employed for Their Realization