Henry A. Kissinger Quotes

Diffusion of power is the best way to promote democracy.

The principle of democracy is all about delegation of power by the vast majority of citizens through a few chosen representatives chosen on merit and competence.

It is not be consolidation, or concentration of powers, but by their distribution, that good government is effected.

The problem in this world is to avoid concentration of power -- we must have a dispersion of power.

Democracy is about non-arbitrary decisions. Democracy is about spreading decisions; it is not about destroying processes.

I think the advantage of democracy is that it makes us less dependent on a group of leaders.

To make a division of power effectual, a veto in one form or another is indispensable. The right of each to judge for itself of the extent of the power allotted to its share, and to protect itself in its exercise, is what, in reality, is meant by a division of power.

In a democracy, power is not permanent.

Democracy is far more complex than simply choosing the people who govern you.

The function of a parliamentary democracy, under universal suffrage, historically considered, is to expose wealth-privilege to the attacks of the people.

No, my friend, the way to have good and safe government, is not to trust it all to one, but to divide it among the many.

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

An equality of estate will give an equality of power; and an equality of power is a commonwealth, or democracy…

The best way of preventing the army from confiscating power for itself and for itself alone is to make this power shared by the Voltaic people from the outset. That's what we are aiming for.

Liberty is best preserved, where the legislative power is lodged in several persons, especially if those persons are of different ranks and interests; for where they are of the same rank, and consequently have an interest to manage peculiar to that rank, it differs but little from a despotical government in a single person.

51 percent of the people should not always get 100% of the power; 51 percent of the people should certainly not get all the power if they use that power to exclude the 49%. In that case, we do not have majority rule. We have majority tyranny.

The very existence of a bicameral legislature is itself another defense of the status quo.

It is conflict combined with consent, not consent alone, which preserves democracy from eroding into oligarchy.

What, gentlemen, is the first quality which is required in a Second Chamber? Without doubt, independence. What is the best foundation of independence? Without doubt, property.

It is very easy to have elections. It is very difficult to consolidate political order.

Most Americans look upon the President as superior to the Congress and the Supreme Court, about whose powers and functions they know very little;

Americans invented not simply a new form of government but an entirely new concept of politics.

The essence of democracy is how to restrict government power; this is the most important reason why China so badly needs democracy. The overconcentration of government powers without checks and balances is the root cause of so many social problems.

Democracy can be noisy and messy. But it works.

How is it the community can check ? The community can act only when assembled; and when assembled, it is incapable of acting. The community, however, can choose representatives.