He wanted to see how the people [feel] about democracy and the war in Iraq. When he heard my negative response, he decided to take things in his own hands, I guess.

There are ways to pursue political change. In a democracy, it’s through the ballot box. There are other ways, and many democracies have many different systems of democracy.

Secrecy begets tyranny.

Poor women enter politics with great difficulty. The duty of the fourth pillar of democracy – the media – is to protect such people but the owner of the newspaper misused his newspaper and even...

The bottom line is that our government is not intelligent about how it pursues the public interest, because its decisions are not informed decisions (and its interest is generally not the public’s).

When the Chief Justice read me the oath,’ he [FDR] later told an adviser, ‘and came to the words “support the Constitution of the United States” I felt like saying: “Yes, but it’s the Constitution...

Democracy is eternal and human. It dignifies the human being; it respects humanity.

Nothing is more necessary to the culture of the higher sciences, or of the more elevated departments of science, than meditation; and nothing is less suited to meditation than the structure of democratic society.

People in so many countries look up to the United States as a model of democracy, but I doubt if that can continue. It leaves me with a great sense of loss.

It is an old and wise caution, that when our neighbor’s house is on fire, we ought to take care of our own. For tho’, blessed be God, I live in a government where liberty...

In 1870, came the victory of the short-service troops of Prussia over the long-service troops of France, where conscription had but recently been reintroduced in a partial form and as a supplementary measure. That obvious...

Democracy is an experimental system. I like it when states try out new ideas. I think we ought to expand, not contract, our federalist system.

despite the intention of the terrorists … and deliver Iraq’s message of peace, democracy and human rights.

Time is the ultimate democracy. Rich and poor, young and old, male and female: all have 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week.

It is difficult for the ordinary voter to come to grips with the notion that a truly evil man, a truthless monster with the brains of a king rat and the soul of a cockroach,...

Every single empire in its official discourse has said that it is not like all the others, that its circumstances are special, that it has a mission to enlighten, civilize, bring order and democracy, and...

Democracy gives every man the right to be his own oppressor.

Both groups [of pundits] were critics, and that is the heart of the problem. If you are a pundit, you seem so smart when you are telling the President what he did wrong… This [is]...

The ruling power is always faced with the question, ‘In such and such circumstances, what would you do?’, whereas the opposition is not obliged to take responsibility or make any real decisions.

in recognition of his musical genius, which evoked aesthetically the principles of democracy through the medium of jazz and thus made an indelible contribution to art and culture.

Democracy is always an unfinished experiment, testing the capacity of each generation to live freedom nobly.

Charity is today a ‘political charity.’. . . it means the transformation of a society structured to benefit a few who appropriate to themselves the value of the work of others. This transformation ought to...

The idea of any blood-thirsty pirate (Mexican President Diaz) sitting on a throne and reaching across the border to tromp on our Constitution makes my blood boil.” — Mother Jones

Democracy suits Europeans today partly because it is associated with the triumph of capitalism and partly because it involves less commitment or intrusion into their lives than any of the alternatives. Europeans accept democracy because...

Those who believe that liberal democracy and the free market can be defended by the force of law and regulation alone, without an internalised sense of duty and morality, are tragically mistaken.

[There] are people who make a complete and utter mockery of ‘democracy’ and ‘equality’ – they’re the casualties of the primitive rules of competition which run our society, and the welfare state just keeps them...

To safeguard democracy the people must have a keen sense of independence, self-respect and their oneness, and should insist upon choosing as their representatives only such persons as are good and true.

For me, Westernization is not about consuming fanciful goods; it’s about a system of free speech, democracy, egalitarianism and respect for the people’s rights and dignity.

I regard freedom of expression as the primary right without which one can not have a proper functioning democracy.

High hopes were once formed of democracy; but democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.

One only knows the sins of democracy against virtue when one is worthy enough to suffer from them.

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

Electorates tend to get the politicians they deserve.

In einem freien Staat müssen Zunge und Meinung frei sein.

If political rights are necessary to set social rights in place, social rights are indispensable to make political rights ‘real’ and keep them in operation. The two rights need each other for their survival; that...

May it please your Majesty I have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me whose servant I am here.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

How, then,’ I hear you ask, ‘shall I attain my end, whether it be Christian love, socialism, or American democracy?’ Your Christian love and your socialism and your American democracy are what you do each...

The view that we hold in Iraq now is this — that democracy is associated with elections. I believe that elections are possible.

The strength of the Constitution lies entirely in the determination of each citizen to defend it. Only if every single citizen feels duty bound to do his share in this defense are the constitutional rights...

All the ills of democracy can be cured by more democracy.

Business is boss, politics is servant.

The meeting with Mian Nawaz Sharif today is aimed to discuss a joint drive for the revival of the Constitution and democracy, and for ending the dictatorship.

Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.

It’s important to remember that peace, liberty and freedom changes many aspects in our thoughts as far as life is concerned.

As a prisoner of conscience committed to peaceful transition to democracy, I urge Europe to apply economic sanctions against Ethiopia. What short-term pain may result will be compensated by long-term gain. A pledge to re-engage...

Just because a group does not take its decisions by voting does not mean they have no understanding of the essence of democracy.

to lead the region in promoting democracy, as it has done in pursuit of peace.

One of the strangest phenomena of our time, and one that will probably be a matter of astonishment to our decedents, is that doctrine which is founded upon this triple hypothesis: the radical passiveness of...

…our children must learn…to face full responsibility for their actions, to make their own choices and cope with the results…the whole democratic system…depends upon it. For our system is founded on self-government, which is untenable...