Errico Malatesta Quotes

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

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.

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.

The essential objection to democracy is that, with few exceptions, it imposes degrading acts and attitudes upon the men responsible for the welfare and dignity of the state.

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

The ballot box is a license to govern, not a mandate to rule.

In a democracy, voting is a huge and most important right of a common man.

It's a democracy and if I am outvoted, I have to accept the majority decisions.

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme.

The practical core of democracy, defined functionally, is the peaceful exchange of power between different groups of powerful political players arranged in parties.

Power is action; the electoral principle is discussion. No political action is possible when discussion is permanently established.

I'm the one who initiated the democratic process.

This country has always been run by elite, and it's an elitist democracy. And that's not a radical concept. It's elitist democracy. When people talk about democracy, they don't talk - really talk about participatory democracy, until the point that we get us at Election Day.

Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

The actual rulers in a parliamentary democracy are the class of professional politicians. In theory, they are supposed to represent the people, but in fact they rule over them.

A democracy is a government in the hands of men of low birth, no property, and vulgar employments.

All societies, including societies called democratic, are ruled by a minority.

Wherever you have votes, you have power.

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 method of democracy is to bring ... conflicts out into the open where their special claims can be seen and appraised, where they can be discussed and judged.

The democratic system prevailing in the world does not suit us ...

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

Democratic processes require time.

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.