“Cities must urge urban planners and architects to reinforce pedestrianism as an integrated city policy to develop lively, safe, sustainable and healthy cities. It is equally urgent to strengthen the social function of city space as a meeting place that contributes toward the aims of social sustainability and an open and democratic society.” SocialSpaceCitiesPolicyHealthySafeFunctionAimDemocraticMeetingsUrgesArchitectSustainabilityUrbanUrgentLivelyIntegratedDemocratic SocietyPlanners Book:Cities for People Source: Cities for People
“In a democracy, every ordinary citizen is effectively a king--but a king in a constitutional democracy, a monarch who decides only formally, whose function is merely to sign off on measures proposed by an executive administration. This is why the problem with democratic rituals is homologous to the great problem of constitutional monarchy: how to protect the dignity of the king? How to maintain the appearance that the king effectively makes decisions, when we all know this not to be true?” KnowsProblemDecisionDemocracyKingsCitizensProtectOrdinaryDignityFunctionDemocraticAppearanceBeing TrueAdministrationExecutivesRitualMonarchyMonarchsOrdinary CitizensConstitutional MonarchySigning Off Book:First As Tragedy, Then As Farce Source: First As Tragedy, Then As Farce
“[T]he democratic principle of "one man, one vote," viewed against a background of voting masses numbering several millions, only serves to demonstrate the pitiful helplessness of the inarticulate individual, who functions at the polls as the smallest indivisible arithmetical (and not always algebraic) unit. He acts in total anonymity, secrecy and legal irresponsibility.” MenIndividualPrinciplesMillionsMassVoteFunctionDemocraticBackgroundsVotingOne ManSmallestUnitsPollsSecrecyHelplessnessAnonymityPitifulIndivisibleIrresponsibilityInarticulate Author:Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn
“The function of traditional history is to create a citizenry that looks to the top - the president, Congress, the Supreme Court - to make the important decisions. That's what traditional history is all about: the laws that were passed, the decisions made by the court. So much of history is built around "the great men." All of that is very anti-democratic.” MenLooksMadeImportantLawPresidentDecisionBuiltFunctionCourtDemocraticCongressSupremeTraditionalGreat MenSupreme CourtCitizenryDecisions MadeImportant Decisions Author:Howard Zinn
“I don't know why you should isolate women in this regard. If you have a traditional leader who says 'I am the sole exclusive ruler, I am the autocrat', it will affect everybody in the area, whether they are men or women. The challenge that South Africa faces, and it is not a new challenge, a whole range of African countries have faced this challenge, is that where you have institutional traditional leadership, which in our country is protected by the Constitution, how does that institution function side by side with a democratic system?” IfsKnowsMenShouldDoeCountryWholeFacesSidesChallengesLeaderAreasFunctionConstitutionRegardInstitutionsDemocraticSouthTraditionalOur CountryRangeSoleProtectedRulersSouth AfricaExclusiveNew Challenges Author:Thabo Mbeki
“What is also true is that partly because my docket was really full here, so I couldn't be both chief organizer of the Democratic Party and function as Commander-in-Chief and President of the United States. We did not begin what I think needs to happen over the long haul, and that is rebuild the Democratic Party at the ground level.” ThinkingNeedsLongStatesHappensPresidentLevelsUnitedPartyUnited StatesFunctionDemocraticChiefsDemocratic PartyCommandersCommander In ChiefHaulOrganizerLong Haul Author:Barack Obama
“The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.” MayWisdomPoliticsQualityEconomyCitizensFunctionDemocraticLiberalismDemocratic Society Author:Alexis de Tocqueville
“There is something reassuring about the toilets. Bodily functions at least remain democratic. Everybody shits.” FunctionDemocraticToiletsReassuringBodily Functions Author:Margaret Atwood
“When the function of libraries is put in terms of their contributions to the community, people see their centrality. The challenge to us is to continue to help them see it in those terms to describe our larger purposes. We must assert that libraries are central to the quality of life in our society; that libraries have a direct role in preserving democratic freedoms. Free access to information and the opportunity of every individual to improve his or her mind, employment prospects, and lifestyle are fundamental rights in our society.” PeopleMindHelpingPurposeOpportunityIndividualTermCommunityChallengesQualityRolesDemocracyRightsInformationDirectFunctionFundamentalsDemocraticLibraryAccessLifestyleEmploymentContributionOur SocietyQuality Of LifeProspectsAccess To InformationFundamental Rights Author:Arthur Curley