#democracy

Two cheers for Democracy; one because it admits variety, and two because it permits criticism. ↗

— E. M. Forster

#cheers #criticism #democracy #permits #two

Democracy is based upon the conviction that there are extraordinary possibilities in ordinary people. ↗

— Harry Emerson Fosdick

#conviction #democracy #extraordinary #ordinary #ordinary people

In liberal democracy and anxious anarchy, the traditional classic dance, compact of aristocratic authority and absolute freedom in a necessity of order, has never been so promising as an independent expression as it is today. ↗

— Lincoln Kirstein

#absolute freedom #anarchy #anxious #aristocratic #authority

Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude. ↗

— Alexis de Tocqueville

#democracy #difference #equality #liberty #nothing

Violent ideologies speak their own language; core concepts are translated to maintain the system while appearing to support the people. Under carnism, for instance, democracy has become defined as having the freedom to choose among products that sicken our bodies and pollute our planet, rather than the freedom to eat our food and breathe our air without the risk of being poisoned. But violent ideologies are inherently undemocratic, as they rely on deception, secrecy, concentrated power, and coercion--all practices that are incompatible with a free society. While the larger system, or nation, may appear democratic, the violent system within it is not. This is one reason we don't recognize violent ideologies that exist within seemingly democratic systems; we simply aren't thinking to look for them. ↗

— Melanie Joy

#democracy #freedom-of-choice #violent-ideologies #food

Capitalism and the market are presented as synonymous, but they are not. Capitalism is both the enemy of the market and democracy. ↗

— David Korten

#capitalism #democracy #enemy #market #presented

The EU will face problems similar to the US: an increasing gap between the citizens and decision makers in Brussels and a perceived or even real lack of democracy. ↗

— David Korten

#brussels #citizens #decision #democracy #eu

Democracy divides people into workers and loafers. It makes no provision for those who have no time to work. ↗

— Karl Kraus

#divides #into #makes #people #provision

You don't spread democracy through the barrel of a gun. ↗

— Helen Thomas

#democracy #gun #spread #through #you

And when we draw lines in the sand with regard to certain basic things that are vital to our interest and to the interest of democracy and our friends around the world, we have to be willing to back that up. ↗

— Fred Thompson

#back #basic #basic things #certain #democracy