Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [1-20] of 356 Democracy quotesDemocracy QuotesDemocracy Next 20 quotes The limitations imposed by democratic political practices makes it difficult to conduct our foreign affairs in the national interest.~ Dean Acheson By liberty I mean the assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he believes is his duty against the influence of authority and majorities, custom and opinion.~ Lord Acton The most certain test by which we judge whether a country is really free is the amount of security enjoyed by minorities.~ Lord Acton It is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority.~ Lord Acton If a majority are capable of preferring their own private interest, or that of their families, counties, and party, to that of the nation collectively, some provision must be made in the constitution, in favor of justice, to compel all to respect the common right, the public good, the universal law, in preference to all private and partial considerations... And that the desires of the majority of the people are often for injustice and inhumanity against the minority, is demonstrated by every page of history... To remedy the dangers attendant upon the arbitrary use of power, checks, however multiplied, will scarcely avail without an explicit admission some limitation of the right of the majority to exercise sovereign authority over the individual citizen... In popular governments [democracies], minorities [individuals] constantly run much greater risk of suffering from arbitrary power than in absolute monarchies...~ John Adams Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.~ John Adams [D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few.~ John Adams [N]o good government but what is republican... the very definition of a republic is 'an empire of laws, and not of men.'~ John Adams Democracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man’s life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few.~ John Adams Were I to define the British constitution, therefore, I should say, it is a limited monarchy, or a mixture of the three forms of government commonly known in the schools, reserving as much of the monarchical splendor, the aristocratical independency, and the democratical freedom, as are necessary that each of these powers may have a control, both in legislation and execution, over the other two, for the preservation of the subject's liberty.~ John Adams Every citizen must look up to the laws, as his master, his guardian, and his friend; and whenever any of his fellow citizens, whether magistrates or subjects, attempt to deprive him of his right, he must appeal to the laws; if the aristocracy encroach, he must appeal to the democracy; if they are divided, he must appeal to the monarchical power to decide between them, by joining with that which adheres to the laws; if the democracy is on the scramble for power, he must appeal to the aristocracy, and the monarchy, which by uniting may restrain it. If the regal authority presumes too far, he must appeal to the other two. Without three divisions of power, stationed to watch each other, and compare each other's conduct with the laws, it will be impossible that the laws should at all times preserve their authority, and govern all men.~ John Adams Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.~ John Quincy Adams It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.~ Samuel Adams A free and open society is an ongoing conflict, interrupted periodically by compromises.~ Saul Alinsky We stand today at a crossroads: One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other leads to total extinction. Let us hope we have the wisdom to make the right choice.~ Woody Allen The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and ignorant believe to be liberty.~ Fisher Ames [O]ur sages in the great [constitutional] convention... intended our government should be a republic which differs more widely from a democracy than a democracy from a despotism. The rigours of a despotism often... oppress only a few, but it is the very essence and nature of a democracy, for a faction claiming to oppress a minority, and that minority the chief owners of the property and truest lovers of their country.~ Fisher Ames Liberty has never lasted long in a democracy, nor has it ever ended in anything better than despotism.~ Fisher Ames The USA was founded in the name of democracy, equality and individual freedom, but is failing to deliver the fundamental promise of protecting rights for all.~ Amnesty International A democracy is a government in the hands of men of low birth, no property, and vulgar employments.~ Aristotle Next 20 quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print