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Democracy


Democracy

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Quotations

Mark TwainIf voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it.

—  Mark Twain, 1835-1910, American writer

34 likes
Winston ChurchillThe best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

—  Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British Prime Minister, Nobel 1953

29 likes
Ambrose BierceDemocracy is four wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

—  Ambrose Bierce, 1842–1914, American writer

28 likes
George Bernard ShawThe minority is sometimes right; the majority always wrong.

—  George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950, Irish writer, Nobel 1925

26 likes
Winston ChurchillDemocracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.

—  Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British Prime Minister, Nobel 1953

22 likes
H.L. MenckenDemocracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.

—  H.L. Mencken, 1880-1956, American columnist & cultural critic

22 likes
Charles DarwinA republic cannot succeed, till it contains a certain body of men imbued with the principles of justice and honour.

—  Charles Darwin, 1809-1882, British scientist

21 likes
H.L. MenckenDemocracy is the worship of jackals by jackasses.

—  H.L. Mencken, 1880-1956, American columnist & cultural critic

16 likes
Adolf HitlerThere is a better chance of seeing a camel pass through the eye of a needle than of seeing a really great man 'discovered' through an election.

—  Adolf Hitler, 1889-1945, German dictator

16 likes
ThucydidesIn a democracy, someone who fails to get elected to office can always console himself with the thought that there was something not quite fair about it.

—  Thucydides, 460-394 BC, Ancient Greek historian

16 likes
Margaret AtwoodThe fabric of democracy is always fragile everywhere because it depends on the will of citizens to protect it, and when they become scared, when it becomes dangerous for them to defend it, it can go very quickly.

—  Margaret Atwood, 1939 -, Canadian writer

16 likes
H.L. MenckenUnder democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule - and both commonly succeed, and are right.

—  H.L. Mencken, 1880-1956, American columnist & cultural critic

15 likes
NapoleonJesus Christ was the greatest republican.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

14 likes
George Bernard ShawDemocracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.

—  George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950, Irish writer, Nobel 1925

14 likes
H.L. MenckenDemocracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey-cage.

—  H.L. Mencken, 1880-1956, American columnist & cultural critic

12 likes
Abraham LincolnAs I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.
Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy.

—  Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865, American President

12 likes
Harry TrumanIt's not the hand that signs the laws that holds the destiny of America. It's the hand that casts the ballot.

—  Harry Truman, 1884-1972, American President [1945-1953]

12 likes
H.L. MenckenDemocracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.

—  H.L. Mencken, 1880-1956, American columnist & cultural critic

11 likes
Franklin RooseveltDemocracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.

—  Franklin Roosevelt, 1882-1945, American President [1936-1945]

10 likes
NapoleonAristocracy is the spirit of the Old Testament, democracy of the New.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

8 likes
Vladimir LeninDemocracy for an insignificant minority, democracy for the rich — that is the democracy of capitalist society.

—  Vladimir Lenin, 1870-1924, Soviet revolutionary & leader

8 likes
Edward GibbonCorruption, the most infallible symptom of constitutional liberty.

—  Edward Gibbon, 1737-1794, English historian

7 likes
Jean BaudrillardDemocracy is the menopause of Western society, the Grand Climacteric of the body social. Fascism is its middle-aged lust.

—  Jean Baudrillard, 1929-2007, French intellectual

7 likes
John KennedyDemocracy may not be perfect, but at least I don't have to build a wall to keep my people in.

—  John Kennedy, 1917-1963, American President [1961-1963]

7 likes
H.L. MenckenThere's really no point to voting. If it made any difference, it would probably be illegal.

—  H.L. Mencken, 1880-1956, American columnist & cultural critic

7 likes
Jean RostandAs long as there are dictatorships, I won’t have the heart to criticize a democracy.

—  Jean Rostand, 1894-1977, French scientist & philosopher

6 likes
Lord ActonThe one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority.

—  Lord Acton, 1834-1902, English historian

6 likes
Mignon McLaughlinWhen threatened, the first thing a democracy gives up is democracy.

—  Mignon McLaughlin, 1913-1983, American magazine editor

5 likes
E. M. ForsterThe people I admire most are those who are sensitive and want to create something or discover something, and do not see life in terms of power, and such people get more of a chance under a democracy than elsewhere.

—  E. M. Forster, 1879-1970, British writer

5 likes
Henri JeansonDemocracy is when the doorbell rings at six in the morning and it’s the milkman!

—  Henri Jeanson, 1900-1970, French critic & columnist

5 likes
MontesquieuThe Tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.

—  Montesquieu, 1689-1755, French thinker

5 likes
Abraham LincolnThe ballot is stronger than the bullet.

—  Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865, American President

4 likes
Calvin CoolidgeDemocracy is not a tearing down; it is a building up. It does not denial of the divine right of kings; it asserts the divine right of all men.

—  Calvin Coolidge, 1872-1933, American President [1923-1929]

4 likes
Graham GreeneIn Switzerland they had brotherly love, 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock!

—  Graham Greene, 1904-1991, British writer

4 likes
P.J. O’ RourkeEvery government is a parliament of whores. The trouble is, in a democracy, the whores are us.

—  P.J. O’ Rourke, 1947-2022, American columnist & writer

4 likes
Jean Jacques RousseauIn the strict sense of the term, a true democracy has never existed, and never will exist. It is against natural order that the great number should govern and that the few should be governed.

—  Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1712-1778, Swiss-French philosopher

4 likes
Karl KrausDemocracy divides people into workers and loafers. It makes no provision for those who have no time to work.

—  Karl Kraus, 1874-1936, Austrian writer

3 likes
Arthur Koestler Indeed, the ideal for a well-functioning democratic state is like the ideal for a gentleman's well-cut suit — it is not noticed.

—  Arthur Koestler, 1905-1983, Hungarian-British writer

3 likes
E. M. ForsterTwo cheers for Democracy: one because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism. Two cheers are quite enough: there is no occasion to give three.

—  E. M. Forster, 1879-1970, British writer

2 likes
Robert HeinleinThe greatest fallacy of democracy is that everyone’s opinion is worth the same.

—  Robert Heinlein, 1907-1988, American sci-fi writer

2 likes
Robert HeinleinDemocracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.

—  Robert Heinlein, 1907-1988, American sci-fi writer

2 likes
Thomas CarlyleDemocracy will prevail when men believe the vote of Judas as good as that of Jesus Christ.

—  Thomas Carlyle, 1795-1881, English writer

Bertrand RussellIf one man offers you democracy and another offers you a bag of grain, at what stage of starvation do you prefer the grain to the vote?

—  Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970, British philosopher

Bertrand RussellDemocracy is the process by which people choose the man who'll get the blame.

—  Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970, British philosopher

Ambrose BierceThe only distinction that democracies reward is a high degree of conformity.

—  Ambrose Bierce, 1842–1914, American writer

Bill VaughanA citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won't cross the street to vote in a national election.

—  Bill Vaughan, 1915-1977, American journalist

Antoine RivarolIn republics, the people give their favor, never their trust.

—  Antoine Rivarol, 1753-1801, French author of maxims

Gustave FlaubertThe whole dream of democracy is to raise the proletarian to the level of bourgeois stupidity.

—  Gustave Flaubert, 1821-1880, French writer

Theodore AdornoIf fear and destructiveness are the major emotional sources of fascism, eros belongs mainly to democracy.

—  Theodore Adorno, 1903-1969, German philosopher

Noam ChomskyYou can’t have meaningful political democracy without functioning economic democracy.

—  Noam Chomsky, 1928-, American linguist, philosopher, social activist

Noam ChomskyThe most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.

—  Noam Chomsky, 1928-, American linguist, philosopher, social activist

Noam ChomskyThe best defense against democracy is to distract people.

—  Noam Chomsky, 1928-, American linguist, philosopher, social activist

Noam ChomskyIf voting could actually change anything, it would be illegal.

—  Noam Chomsky, 1928-, American linguist, philosopher, social activist

Erica JongHuman beings are naturally hierarchical beasts. Democracy is not their native religion.

—  Erica Jong, 1942-, American writer

PlutarchAn imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.

—  Plutarch, 47-120 AD, Ancient Greek historian

Henry MillerThe blind lead the blind, it's the democratic way.

—  Henry Miller, 1891-1980, American writer

Ashleigh BrilliantIn a democracy, every little wrong idea may grow up to become national policy.

—  Ashleigh Brilliant, 1933-, British cartoonist & epigrammatist

Alberto MoraviaDictatorships are one-way streets. Democracy boasts two-way traffic.

—  Alberto Moravia, 1907-1990, Italian writer

Thomas SowellFreedom must be distinguished from democracy, with which it is often confused.

—  Thomas Sowell, 1930 -, American political thinker

Nicolas Gomez DavilaThe cause of democracy’s stupidities is confidence in the anonymous citizen; and the cause of its crimes is the anonymous citizen’s confidence in himself.

—  Nicolas Gomez Davila, 1913-1994, Colombian writer

Charles BukowskiThe difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting.

—  Charles Bukowski, 1920-1994, American writer

Funny Quotes

Ambrose BierceVote, v. The instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.

—  Ambrose Bierce, 1842–1914, American writer

2 likes
Kin HubbardThe election is not very far off when a candidate can recognize you across the street.

—  Kin Hubbard, 1868-1930, American cartoonist

Kin HubbardWe'd all like to vote for the best man but he's never a candidate.

—  Kin Hubbard, 1868-1930, American cartoonist

Stupid Quotes

George W. BushA low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls

—  George W. Bush, 1946-, American President

9 likes

Ancient Greek

Bias of PrieneThe best democracy is where everybody is afraid of the law like a tyrant.

Κρατίστην είναι δημοκρατίαν εν ή πάντες ως τύραννον φοβούνται τον νόμον.

—  Bias of Priene, 625-540 BC, one of the 7 sages of Ancient Greece

4 likes
AristophanesO democracy, where are you leading us?

Ω δημοκρατία, ποι προβιβάς ημάς ποτε;

—  Aristophanes, 445-386 BC, Ancient Greek comic playwright ‐ Birds

3 likes
Periander of CorinthDemocracy is better than tyranny.

Δημοκρατία κρείττον τυραννίδος.

—  Periander of Corinth, 668-584 BC, tyrant of Corinth

3 likes
DemosthenesThe electorate is the most unstable and unpredictable thing.

Ως ο μεν δήμος εστιν ασταθμητότατον πράγμα των πάντων και ασυνθετώτατον.

—  Demosthenes, 384-322 BC, Ancient Athenian & statesman orator

2 likes

Movie Quotes

The Third Man (1949)In Switzerland, they had brotherly love. And in 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.

—  from the film The Third Man (1949)

8 likes



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