Democracy Quotes

Barack Obama and the Nigerian president Bola Tinubu have the most entries, with H. L. Mencken and Franklin Roosevelt behind them, so a lot of the page is speeches. For the dry material go to Mencken in Smart Set (1910), who called democracy the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard; Shaw’s Maxims for Revolutionists (1903), on election by the incompetent many instead of appointment by the corrupt few; and Disraeli’s Lothair (1870).

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch” is credited to Benjamin Franklin and flagged misattributed. The earliest version in the notes is a Usenet post from 23 April 1990. The line that democracy is the most vile form of government, credited to Madison, is flagged too.

Random quote on Democracy

Most quoted on democracy:

We have a decision to make every hour of every day, and that is whether to represent the sword or the shield. Democracy now.

Amy Goodman The Exception to the Rulers written with David Goodman (2004)

There is no Episode VII...Not about Luke Skywalker, not about, you know, that group of people and that struggle to bring democracy back to the galaxy.

George Lucas Minutes Overtime: George Lucas (2005)

We do not have democracy today, true democracy. There is no true democracy in the world - not in China, Russia or Britain.

Benjamin Creme The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom (1980)

Democratic politics needs to be carved out with effort, rather than believing that adopting formal democracy automatically ensures vibrant democratic practice.

Suhas Palshikar

There are always people who want a tyrant. Democracy requires work if it's going to work.

David Cay Johnston The Tyrant Next Time (2019)