Zbigniew Brzezinski Quotes

Without an educated populace, democracy cannot sustain itself.

The effective functioning of our constitutional democracy depends upon the participation in public life of a citizenry that is well informed

In the democratic countries generally, the great body of citizens are refusing to wait until negotiations are over or policies are acted upon or even determined. They demand to know what is going on and to have an opportunity to express their opinions at all stages of diplomatic proceedings…. public opinion will be increasingly not merely the ultimate judge but an immediate and active force in negotiation.

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

Access to legitimate information and thoughtful analysis is the lifeblood of a democracy, the basis of which people make decisions about who they vote for and what they believe in. And if you're only getting half the story, that certainly doesn't lead to an informed citizenry.

The survival of democracy depends on the ability of large numbers of people to make realistic choices in the light of adequate information.

In a democracy, citizens pass judgment on their government, and if they are kept in the dark about what their government is doing, they cannot be in a position to make well-grounded decisions.

Deliberation and debate is the way you stir the soul of our democracy.

Every time something has gone wrong with foreign policy, it’s been because the American people have not been involved in the process.

Public policies in our democracy are eventually a reflection of public opinion," so public opinion must be reshaped if we are to avoid disaster.

Decision making in a democracy depends above all on knowledge and not just the intel available to presidents and policymakers.

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

Mr. Speaker, democracy works best when the American electorate is engaged and informed.

Democracy functions best when we have an active citizenry.

If we don't have an informed electorate we don't have a democracy. So I don't care how people get the information, as long as they get it. I'm just doing it my particular way and I feel lucky I can do it the way I want to do it.

Having elected a government, we will be best advised to let it govern and to let it speak for us as it will in the councils of the nations.

We shall determine all matters of state by public discussion, after assemblies have been convoked far and wide.

If the American people are going to support a policy than they had better be made to understand the rationale.

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

American democracy depends on the public's ability to remain accurately informed on our state of affairs.

The Internet has done a wonderful thing for us. But democracy doesn't work unless people are well informed, and I don't know that we are. People just don't have the time.

Because America is a democracy, public support for presidential foreign-policy decisions is essential.

Democracy depends on well educated and engaged citizens.

High quality, open, transparent, and uncensored data are needed to support democracy.

What we need more than anything else is an informed populace. I believe people want to be informed.