Democracy Quotes

I grew up in a dictatorship, so I really appreciate democracy. I think democracy isn't just a random thing that's around - a democratic society needs the involvement of everybody.

The American polity is infected with a serious imbalance of power between elites and masses, a power which is the principal threat to our democracy.

Fascism rewarded jackasses in uniform. Democracy gives privileges to those in sports' gear. In Italy, political regimes come to pass. Jackasses remain. Triumphant.

In true democracy every man and woman is taught to think for himself or herself.

A democracy, the realistic observer is forced to conclude, is likely to be idealistic in its feelings about itself, but imperialistic about its practice.

Hanging one scoundrel, it appears, does not deter the next. Well, what of it? The first one is at least disposed of.

We are usually convinced more easily by reasons we have found ourselves than by those which have occurred to others.

Acts of terror have never brought down liberal democracies. Acts of parliament have closed a few.

The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.

Only that Swiss in the heart want still a king or at least a strong Upper House of Parliament. Swiss long themselves for less democracy and more dictatorship.

I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong.

My first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man...not to democracy, or blood; it's to a King & a Kingdom

These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.

If x is the population of the United States and y is the degree of imbecility of the average American, then democracy is the theory that x times y is less than y

Stories are the best democracy we have. We are allowed to become the other we never dreamed we could be.

Democracy is not a good that people can enjoy without trouble. It is, on the contrary, a treasure that must be daily defended and conquered anew by strenuous effort.

The grandeur and strength or our people and democracy are as big as a forest.

The worst of all States is the democratic State.

The Internet is democracy's revenge on democracy.

The democracy of the market consists in the fact that people themselves make their choices and that no dictator has the power to force them to submit to his value judgments.

What's happened recently in Pakistan, India and Kuwait only goes to show that it's futile to imitate Western democracy. They've ended up exactly where they started.

Nothing can be more abhorrent to democracy than to imprison a person or keep him in prison because he is unpopular. This is really the test of civilization.

The real fight isn't left or right but between forces of democracy across the spectrum and the forces of tyranny.

There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard.

Loyalty to the true, core values and roots of democracy is what makes a true patriot, not loyalty to a symbol of the country.

You don't spread democracy through the barrel of a gun.

There is something inherent in our democracy that tends to want to level. America is a little uncomfortable in the presence of someone who is distinctly superior in whatever way.

Nothing to impede progress. If you want to see the fate of democracies, look out the windows.

I do think that the U.S. has an opportunity as a democracy to really exemplify what a religiously diverse society can be when it embraces the pluralism.

Self-Criticism is the secret weapon of democracy, and candor and confession are good for the political soul.

The Russian people chose democracy at the beginning of the 1990s and this was their final choice.

Our enemy sees us clearly. They will not start a war. They're worried about one thing: If democracy develops here, if we succeed, we will win

I take a grave view of the press. It is the weak slat under the bed of democracy

Money will cease to be master and become the servant of humanity. Democracy will rise superior to the money power.

Because of my parents' love of democracy, we came to America after being driven twice from our home in Czechoslovakia - first by Hitler and then by Stalin.

Under democracy, individual liberty of opinion and action is jealously guarded.

They think democracy - I used to say "damn the democracy", because it's not a stable government.

Liberals have many tails and chase them all.

Now, al Qaeda's on the run. Afghanistan is no longer a base of operations. The Afghan government is a friendly government that is trying to bring democracy to its people.

The answer to subversion of democracy is more democracy, more freedom, more justice.

The Revolution introduced me to art, and in turn, art introduced me to the Revolution!

China has to go along with world trends. That's democracy, liberty, individual freedom. China sooner or later has to go that way. It cannot go backward.

I've handed life and death back to the people who do the living and the dying.

Our democracy poses problems and these problems must and shall be solved by courageous leadership.

Ultimately, freedom and democracy are stronger than fear and tyranny.

The soviet people want full-blooded and unconditional democracy.

Democracy must learn to defend itself.

it is the people who control the Government, not the Government the people.

But collective thinking is usually short-lived. We're fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction.

While democracy in the long run is the most stable form of government, in the short run, it is among the most fragile.