Aparna Sen Quotes

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.

Democracy depends on well educated and engaged citizens.

No citizen is apolitical; as a citizen, by definition, has to take interest in public affairs.

Democracy is not something you believe in or a place to hang your hat, but it's something you do. You participate. If you stop doing it, democracy crumbles.

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

We are not perfect. Democracy is a messy business … Democracy depends on people getting and keeping involved … In our democracy, the government is not them; it is us.

Democracy is something you have to participate in.

Democracy requires an informed citizenry able to question its government.

Our whole system of government is based on "We the people," but if we the people don't pay attention to what's going on, we have no right to bellyache or squawk when things go wrong.

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

Only a knowledgeable, empowered and vocal citizenry can perform well in democracy.

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

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.

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

Democracy is interactive... It's a constant job of information, education, explanation, listening, and interactive communication.

The most important political office is that of the private citizen.

Democracy functions best when we have an active citizenry.

I certainly think it's very important that writers as citizens - not necessarily as writers, but just as ordinary citizens - should talk about things that matter to them.

The value of government to the people it serves is in direct relationship to the interest citizens themselves display in the affairs of state.

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

The democratic process is only as great as the people who participate in it.

You have citizens who don't understand how government works and they're kind of soured on it. All they do is criticize. They have no idea that they can make things happen.

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

I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work it.

As free citizens in a political democracy, we have a responsibility to be interested and involved in the affairs of the human community, be it at the local or the global level.