Democracy Quotes

"Democracy is not about making speeches. It is about making committees work."

"As our government takes democracy to unlikely places all over the world, how about a decent respect for self-government at home!"

"The assumption that just being there and talking about democracy and elections would work was naive."

"Some people do not want democracy. (However) we are determined to have these primaries today,"

"Their example is an inspiration to all who share the universal values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, ... This is a document of which the Iraqis and the rest of the world can be proud."

"Public opinion is presumptively an input to policy formation in a democracy because politicians respond to it or at least are believed to respond [to it]."

"Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development."

"The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery."

"They do not have a right to buy more democracy than the rest of us. All levels of government would be for sale to the highest bidder."

"It’s hard to believe that in the greatest democracy in the world, we need legislation to prevent the government from writing and paying for the news."

"Democracy is not a quick fix, and you need to have civil society in place for [elections] to work. Unfortunately, it didn't. It backfired."

"If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves."

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard."

"Democracy is not something you put away for ten years, and then in the 11th year you wake up and start practicing again. We have to begin to learn to rule ourselves again."

"Liberty, freedom and democracy are very fuzzy words, but human rights is very specific."

"Democracy is much too important to be left to public opinion."

"Democracy is good. I say this because other systems are worse."

"These spikes of violence are predictable around certain critical events that highlight the progress of democracy, ... Remember, democracy equals failure for the insurgency. So there has to be heightened awareness now as we work our way toward the referendum."

"The appointments are unconstitutional, motivated and a barrier to the development of democracy, which cannot be accepted, and we reject it."

"Now we must ensure a free and fair election. This is a big victory for democracy."