Democracy is a process not a static condition. It is Becoming rather than being. It can easily be lost but never is fully won. Its essence is eternal struggle.
The creed of our democracy is that liberty is acquired and kept by men and women who are strong and self-reliant and possessed of such wisdom as God gives mankind ? men and women who are just and understanding and generous to others ? men and women who are capable of disciplining themselves. For they are the rulers and they must rule themselves.
I know of no safe repository for the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion the remedy is not to take it from them but to increase their discretion by education.
That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth.
Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing. What is necessary now is one thing and one thing only … that democracy become again democracy in action not democracy accomplished and piled up in goods and gold.
Some of us have turned our freedom into exploitation our land into a dust bowl. We cant make a nation strong when it is held together by the rotten rope of self-interest. Too often we think of democracy only in terms of getting our rights.
Our constitution is named a democracy because it is in the hands not of the few but of the many. But our laws secure equal justice for all in their private disputes and our public opinion welcomes and honors talent in every branch of achievement not for any sectional reason but on grounds of excellence alone. And as we give free play to all in our public life so we carry the same spirit into our daily relations with one another…. Open and friendly in our private intercourse in our public acts we keep strictly within the control of law. We acknowledge the restraint of reverence; we are obedient to whomsoever is set in authority and to the laws more sepecially to those which offer protection to the oppressed and those unwritten ordinances whose transgression brings admitted shame. lb. II Funeral Oration of Pericles 37
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.
Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity as well as the inalienable right to govern himself with reason and justice.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse form the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world?s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.
I know that all things considered the United States of America with all of its abuses of democracy and of liberty itself is still the garden spot of the world where peace cooperation and constructive effort can and should prevail always and the cause of a higher Christian civilization advanced.
Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes exhausts and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.
A democracy is a government in the hands of men of low birth no property and vulgar employments.
The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Democracy is a process not a static condition. It is Becoming rather than being. It can easily be lost but never is fully won. Its essence is eternal struggle.
The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy indifference and undernourishment.
Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses.
The creed of our democracy is that liberty is acquired and kept by men and women who are strong and self-reliant and possessed of such wisdom as God gives mankind ? men and women who are just and understanding and generous to others ? men and women who are capable of disciplining themselves. For they are the rulers and they must rule themselves.
Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.
Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.
The world must be made safe for democracy.
Democracy means government by discussion but it is only effective if you can stop people talking.
So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights well be called a democracy.
We love your adherence to democratic principles.
It is a besetting vice of democracies to substitute public opinion for law. This is the usual form in which masses of men exhibit their tyranny.
Every man is wanted and no man is wanted much.
In a democracy dissent is an act of faith. Like medicine the test of its value is not in its taste but in its effects.
I know of no safe repository for the ultimate powers of society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion the remedy is not to take it from them but to increase their discretion by education.
The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.
That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth.
Puritanism believing itself quick with the seed of religious liberty laid without knowing it the egg of democracy.
Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing. What is necessary now is one thing and one thing only … that democracy become again democracy in action not democracy accomplished and piled up in goods and gold.
Democracy is good. I say this because other systems are worse.
Mans capacity for justice makes democracy possible; but mans inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.
Sometimes democracy must be bathed in blood.
To acquire immunity to eloquence is of the utmost importance to the citizens of a democracy.
Some of us have turned our freedom into exploitation our land into a dust bowl. We cant make a nation strong when it is held together by the rotten rope of self-interest. Too often we think of democracy only in terms of getting our rights.
Democracy is a form of government in which it is permitted to wonder aloud what the country could do under first-class management.
The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.
Our constitution is named a democracy because it is in the hands not of the few but of the many. But our laws secure equal justice for all in their private disputes and our public opinion welcomes and honors talent in every branch of achievement not for any sectional reason but on grounds of excellence alone. And as we give free play to all in our public life so we carry the same spirit into our daily relations with one another…. Open and friendly in our private intercourse in our public acts we keep strictly within the control of law. We acknowledge the restraint of reverence; we are obedient to whomsoever is set in authority and to the laws more sepecially to those which offer protection to the oppressed and those unwritten ordinances whose transgression brings admitted shame. lb. II Funeral Oration of Pericles 37
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.
Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity as well as the inalienable right to govern himself with reason and justice.
A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse form the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world?s greatest civilizations has been 200 years.
I know that all things considered the United States of America with all of its abuses of democracy and of liberty itself is still the garden spot of the world where peace cooperation and constructive effort can and should prevail always and the cause of a higher Christian civilization advanced.
Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are fight more than half of the time.
Too many people expect wonders from democracy when the most wonderful thing of all is just having it.