Pravin Gordhan Quotes

Without economic development, any potential for political openness and freedom will be questionable.

[Referring to El Salvador:] The economy can't really grow without first resolving the [civil] war. But the war can't be resolved without first fixing the economy.

Democracy cannot flourish in economic ruin.

If America wants to make the world safe for democracy, then she had better make democracy safe in America.

Donald Trump got elected because, in his twisted way, he pointed out the huge troubles in our economy and our democracy.

The South African government, unlike a lot of African governments, isn't poor.

Democracies can't handle austerity measures very well.

Those looking from Europe see Turkey as an economic success, whereas others from the Middle East see Turkey as a democratic success.

Over the years, I've come to recognize that democratization in Ethiopia is not just a matter of choice. It's a matter of national survival. I am deeply convinced that we either democratize and have a good chance of surviving, or if we fail to do so, we disintegrate.

It goes without saying that before its culture and literature can continue to evolve, Latvia first must endure the political comedy of creating a stable, functioning and unthreatened democracy.

Chile has done a lot to rid itself of poverty, especially extreme poverty, since the return to democracy. But we still have a ways to go toward greater equity. This country does not have a neoliberal economic model anymore. We have put in place a lot of policies that will ensure that economic growth goes hand in hand with social justice.

In many emerging democracies, democracy and stability are mutually incompatible.

India has political freedom but it does not have economic freedom.

Democracy must first be safe for America before it can be safe for the world

Sure, we could send in the troops, but the threat of communism wouldn’t diminish until the people’s standard of living was improved and the totalitarian countries of Latin America gave them more freedom.

Israel was established in 1948. Then, the average income in Palestine was lower than in Egypt, for example. Today, 55 years after the establishment of Israel, the average income in Israel is 15 times higher than in Egypt. Israel fought all same wars as the Arabs and Egyptians. How come it continued to progress to the point it has become a technological force to be reckoned with? The reason is that it's a democracy.

We cannot impose democracy where it has no constituency.

This country has been without stern, sails and wind, and it needs someone at the helm. We are doomed to live in an authoritarian state until genuine democracy, which should not be confused with anarchy, can be set up.

The Communist Party and the Republican Party and the Democratic Party are the same in some ways ... To stay in power you've got to give people a good life and improve the economy.

Creating a democracy is never easy.

Advancing democracy does not always foster political stability.

There are some people who believe that some people are not yet ready for democracy … everybody in the world is ready for liberty. It is a question of how you do it.

Not all countries are ready for it [democracy].

The process of our democracy must not be imperiled by the denial of essential powers of free government.

No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy.