Ralph Nader Quotes

Being a citizen in a democracy involves more than just voting. It means being involved for the common whole.

Bernard Shaw remains the only model we have of what the citizen of a democracy should be: an informed participant in all things we deem important to the society and the individual.

The job of a citizen is to keep his mouth open.

The first duty of an American citizen, then is that he shall work in politics.

To speak practically and as a citizen, unlike those who call themselves no-government men, I ask for, not at once no government, but at once a better government. Let every man make known what kind of government would command his respect, and that will be one step toward obtaining it.

The American Government will be what we all make of it.

I always preach that you have to be active as a citizen no matter what, and some people just voting as an excuse not to do anything.

As a citizen, you need to know how to be a part of it, how to express yourself - and not just by voting.

For America to work, Americans have to participate. If they don’t pay attention, they’re going to get screwed.

Political action is the highest responsibility of a citizen.

Citizens are refined, cultivated, and very political. I believe in the legitimacy of their participation.

We do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics is a man who minds his own business; we say that he has no business here at all.

I think everybody who has a brain should get involved in politics. Working within. Not criticizing it from the outside. Become an active participant, no matter how feeble you think the effort is.

The work of being a citizen is hard and annoying, but it can pay off.

Democracy depends on well educated and engaged citizens.

I'm a citizen in a democracy. To call me an activist would be redundant. It's not a spectator sport. If we all become non-participants, it no longer works.

Citizenship has been out of fashion for some decades in our country, but now it is back in fashion. Weekends are for fighting tyranny. And that's why it's going to be really fun to see Democracy Now!

Good citizenship and defending democracy means living up to the ideals and values that make this country great.

As for being a voice in politics, I feel whether you are famous or not, busy or not, it's incumbent upon every citizen to participate in this government in any way we can.

Our culture is at a critical cusp - a time that requires that we define what it means to be a citizen in a democracy. Within our nation we need to foster a greater sense of collective responsibility.

I would say democracy once meant an organizational society and a state, in which the individual citizen is - feels - responsible, and acts responsibly, and participates in decision-making.

Politics should be the part-time profession of every citizen.

There is little hope for democracy if the hearts of men and women in democratic societies cannot be touched by a call to something greater than themselves.

But, you know, I'm sorry, I think democracy requires participation. I mean, I don't want to proselytize but I do feel some sort of duty to participate in the process in some way other than just blindly getting behind a political party.

Citizenship is a tough occupation which obliges the citizen to make his own informed opinion and stand by it.