Democracy Limits Quotes

Democracy on a supranational level is simply impossible. In order to have democracy, there needs to be a nation.

There is a limit to the application of democratic methods. You can inquire of all the passengers as to what type of car they like to ride in, but it is impossible to question them as to whether to apply the brakes when the train is at full speed and accident threatens.

[The freeholders are] the best guardians of liberty, and the restrictions of the right [of suffrage] to them was a necessary defense against the dangerous influence of those multitudes without property and without principle with which our country, like all others, will in time abound.

Civil war was taught them [Americans] that "the sacred right of insurrection" is as much out of place in a democratic state as in an aristocratic or a monarchical state; and that the government should always be clothed with ample authority to arrest and punish whoever plots its destruction.

The notion that a person's constitutional rights may be subject to a majority vote is itself anathema.

Democracy no better suited Spanish America than birds, beasts or fishes.

Any open society that tolerates intolerance, sees tolerance disappear and the tolerant along with it.

I think that there is a limit on how far you can export democracy.

Art is not a democracy, in fact art is the enemy of democracy

Democracy, I do not conceive that ever God did ordain as a fit government either for church or commonwealth. If the people be governors, who shall be governed?

Democracy is the suggestion box for slaves.

There must be some limits on the form of democracy. It can’t be winner take all.

Nothing can be more unfounded and false than the opinion that all men are born free and equal; inequality is indispensable to progress; government is not the result of compact, nor is it safe to entrust the suffrage to all.

There is no democracy of facts.

We are so concerned to flatter the majority that we lose sight of how very often it is necessary, in order to preserve freedom for the minority, let alone for the individual, to face that majority down.

There is always, of course, a limit in a democracy as to what is politically possible, so you have to respect that limit. But in my experience, governments tend to be too timid.

Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority.

If I am part of a group of 100 people, do 99 people have the right to sentence me to death, just because they are majority?

Allow peaceful demonstrations and the next thing you know people will want a voice in running things.

The fact that the majority wants something good does not give them the right to use force on the minority that don't want to pay for it. If you have to use a gun, it's not really a very good idea. Democracy without respect for individual rights sucks. It's just ganging up on the weird kid, and I'm always the weird kid.

The terrorists are going to believe the worst about America. They think we spy on everything. They think we kill everyone. They think - they don't believe that we believe in democracy, right? They don't believe we have limits on our government.

Democracy doesn't automatically safeguard women and minorities.

I think, in Spain, they are too used to reaching the limits of democracy and then stepping over them.

I think that those elements - light and sound - are beyond democratic. They're into the creative part of life.

The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy. One's right to life, liberty and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly may not be submitted to vote; they depend on no elections.