Thomas Sowell Quotes

What is really needed to make democracy function is not knowledge of facts, but right education.

In a democracy you cannot stop public access to that art that will most misinform the people. You cannot stop people from being misinformed. But what you can do is to educate the people to the point that they will throw the rascals out.

Without an educated populace, democracy cannot sustain itself.

What I hear every day on talk radio is America's lack of education - and I don't mean lack of college degrees. I mean lack of the basic art of democracy, the ability to seek the great truths that can come only by synthesizing the small truths possessed by each of us.

Most people associate reading with laying on the beach. They don't see that it's crucial for a democracy!

A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy; or perhaps both ... And a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.

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

There is no excuse for letting another generation be as vastly ignorant, or as devoid of understanding … as we are ourselves.

The vitality of democracy depends on popular knowledge of complex questions.

I don't think that our Founders would believe that America could long prosper if the people were not readers.

A democracy depends on its people, the literate and the well read.

Americans are good people, and at times we can be wise. But we're often under-informed by media, misinformed by our government and ill-served by both.

I believe that when you provide information to people, they become less fearful and they will engage more in their democracy if they are empowered with information.

Democracy depends on well educated and engaged citizens.

I feel quite sure that what the American people lack is knowledge.

We are on the precipice of being so ignorant that our democracy is threatened.

The real safeguard of democracy is education.

We... are not really free if we can't control our own government and its policies. And we will never do that if we remain ignorant.

No amount of charters, direct primaries, or short ballots will make a democracy out of an illiterate people.

Democracy is not just voting for your leaders; it's really premised upon ordinary citizens understanding the issues.

There is one solution to all of our problems: Teaching our kids clarity of thought and political representation in democracy. That's it.

Democracy doesn't require a whole lot of work of its citizens, but it requires some: It requires taking a good look outside once in a while, and considering the bad news and what it might mean, and making the occasional tough choice, and soberly taking stock of what your real interests are.

Widespread public access to knowledge, like public education, is one of the pillars of our democracy, a guarantee that we can maintain a well-informed citizenry.

Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.

An educated people can be easily governed.