Charles Taylor Quotes

It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that democracy will improve the function of policy.

A democratic home is the foundation of a democratic state.

The nature of a democracy consists to an important degree in the right of the people to criticize problems and mistakes.

Democracy is not something you believe in or a place to hang your hat, but it's something you do. You participate. If you stop doing it, democracy crumbles.

Democracy is good, provided the government can function.

American democracy is at its best in its talent for the transfer for power.

The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy.

In a democracy, not everyone gets what they want.

Democracy is about opposition.

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

Somehow we must be able to show people that democracy is not about words, but action.

Democracy divides the population into two groups: those of us who complain about government and those of us who are complained about.

Democracy is like a street car. You get off when you reach your destination.

I'm passionate about parliament democracy.

Democracy is a good client.

Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital powers. A people cannot be free who do not participate in the control of the government which operates upon them.

And in Canada we, you know, it costs us three or $400 million to have an election. You know, it's always been my position that we shouldn't complain about that; that's the price of admission for a living in a great democracy.

Freedom of expression - in particular, freedom of the press - guarantees popular participation in the decisions and actions of government, and popular participation is the essence of our democracy.

The way people in democracies think of the government as something different from themselves is a real handicap. And, of course, sometimes the government confirms their opinion.

Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy.

The crisis of democracy in the West is not the result of falling in love with another system. In Europe and America people who are disillusioned with democracy do not dream about the Chinese model or any other form of authoritarian rule. They do not dream about government that controls Internet and puts in prison those daring to disagree.

The people want to go back to the time when democracy was in full bloom.

I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work it.

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.

Democracy is still upon its trial. The civic genius of our people is its only bulwark.