James Monroe Quotes

A constitutional democracy is in serious trouble if its citizenry does not have a certain degree of education and civic virtue.

Government will not fail to employ education, to strengthen its hands, and perpetuate its institutions.

A democratic form of government, a democratic way of life, presupposes free public education over a long period; it presupposes also an education for personal responsibility that too often is neglected.

Among the foremost benefits of free government is that education of the intelligence and of the sentiments which is carried down to the very lowest ranks of the people when they are called to take a part in acts which directly affect the great interests of their country.

Democracy depends on well educated and engaged citizens.

A democracy is predicated on an educated citizenry. You cannot have a democracy with people that are more interested in what Nicole Kidman is doing or whoever the latest fashion model is.

Dishonesty in government is the business of every citizen. It is not enough to do your own job. There's no particular virtue in that. Democracy isn't a gift. It's a responsibility.

But, you know, I'm sorry, I think democracy requires participation. I mean, I don't want to proselytize but I do feel some sort of duty to participate in the process in some way other than just blindly getting behind a political party.

There is a power in public opinion in this country - and I thank God for it: for it is the most honest and best of all powers - which will not tolerate an incompetent or unworthy man to hold in his weak or wicked hands the lives and fortunes of his fellow-citizens.

I believe that everyone should participate in democracy and enjoy doing it.

Democracy is not something that happens, you know, just at election time, and it's not something that happens just with one event. It's an ongoing building process. But it also ought to be a part of our culture, a part of our lives.

And they understand that to be an effective member of a democracy, you have to accept responsibility.

Without an educated populace, democracy cannot sustain itself.

Obama has already rejected the bright sunlight of public knowledge, which is democracy's great disinfectant and cure.

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.

A government of, for and by the people, requires much from the people.

Democracy is something that you must learn each generation. It has to be taught.

The values and voices of democracy are silent. Either we have lost touch with those values or, no better, believe they need not or cannot be taught.

Ignorant and illiterate people cannot understand democracy. They are prey to religious extremists.

If you don't have a democracy in which most people feel engaged, you don't have a democracy very long.

I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the 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 inform their discretion by education.

Our politics, our public life and thought rise not to the level of our opportunity.

Education is teaching of the overall citizenship, to learn to live together with fellow citizens. And, above all, to learn to obey the law.

We cannot sustain growth without trained manpower; not our democratic system of government, for freedom is fragile if citizens are ignorant.