James Bovard Quotes

Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what you think it is you want to hear.

'Democratic' in its original meaning refers to unlimited majority rule....a social system in which one's work, one's property, one's mind, and one's life are at the mercy of any gang that may muster the vote of a majority at any moment for any purpose

Voting should be the right of the great body of the society…an inconsiderable proportion, or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of republicans, and claim for their government the honorable title of republic.

That a majority of people can vote against a government, and yet that government still remains in power does not raise confidence in our democracy.

The evils of popular government appear greater than they are; there is compensation for them in the spirit and energy it awakens.

In a democracy we assume that people can define their own interest and vote that way.

Democracy affords debate, discussion and dissent.

Under universal suffrage the elected are those who know best how to take in the masses. The minority, which may happen to be the half minus one, is sacrificed.

In the United States, where the numerical majority have long been in full possession of collective despotism, they would probably be as unwilling to part with it as a single despot or an aristocracy.

A government by the passions of the multitude, or, no less correctly, according to the vices and ambitions of their leaders, is a democracy.

In democracy dissent is an act of faith. Like medicine, the test of its value is not its taste, but its effect,...

People mistake majoritarianism for democracy.

It's not the voting that's democracy, it's the counting.

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

And that is my definition of democracy, the right to be in a minority and not be suppressed.

Democracy means the opportunity to be everyone's slave.

A government of, by and for the people is obligated to conduct the nation's business in a manner that respects dissent.

Democracy is nothing but the Tyranny of Majorities, the most abominable tyranny of all, for it is not based on the authority of a religion, not upon the nobility of a race, not on the merits of talents and of riches. It merely rests upon numbers and hides behind the name of the people.

Democracy is necessarily despotism, as it establishes an executive power contrary to the general will; all being able to decide against one whose opinion may differ, the will of all is therefore not that of all: which is contradictory and opposite to liberty.

A pure democracy can admit no cure for the mischiefs of faction. A common passion or interest will be felt by a majority, and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party

The conception of political equality can mean only one thing—one person–one vote.

The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.

Discussion is the bedrock of American democracy.

Democracy is like sex. When it is good, it is very, very good. And when it is bad, it is still pretty good.

Democracy is the only form of government which dislikes itself.