John Stuart Mill Quotes

The vote, cast in a free atmosphere and with all inclinations and parties at present, was after all a vote to the Islamic Republic, to national independence, to the Constitution and to the Islamic causes.

No power on earth is greater than a mind and soul reawakened. Our Constitution begins 'we the people', not 'us the government'.

A good government may, indeed, redress the grievances of an injured people; but a strong people can alone build up a great nation.

I have sworn to the nation to govern it under a constitutional system. But if, through the vices of its organization or the passions of its agents, it wants to convert itself into an instrument of anarchy, the nation itself in use of its sovereign rights will give a new representation, and I will be the first to invoke it.

Only basic agreement on the major objectives of the state can provide a society with a firm basis for democracy.

Our Constitution professedly rests upon the good sense and attachment of the people. This basis, weak as it may appear, has not yet been found to fail.

Though written constitutions may be violated in moments of passion or delusion, yet they furnish a text to which those who are watchful may again rally and recall the people. They fix, too, for the people the principles of their political creed.

In this country the government responds to the people, not the other way around.

Most men, being the ruled, not the rulers, want good government. If, without constraint, they choose bad government, it is by mistake

The people have a right to assemble together, to consult for their common good-to instruct their representatives, and to apply to the legislature for redress of grievances, by address, petition or remonstrance.

Aware of the tendency of power to degenerate into abuse, the worthies of our country have secured its independence by the establishment of a Constitution and form of government for our nation, calculated to prevent as well as to correct abuse

The government and people are inseparable under our system. We could not separate the government from the people if we would, and we would not if we could. This unity is the strength of our political structure.

The people made this government, and not the government the people. Destroy the intelligence of the people, and the government could not exist for a day; — destroy this government, and the people would create another, and yet another, of no less perfect symmetry.

The fate of our democracy lies both in the hannds if the people and of the President

My position on democracy is really clear. Any attempt to overthrow the country is a betrayal to our unity and is treason.

If we are competing in elections, it's because we believe in the popular vote and will be slaves to our constitution.

Obviously, people feeling that their government is responsive to them is in the best interest of the United States. It's in the best interest of the U.K., it's in the best interest of countries all over the world.

Perhaps the most important thing I learned was about democracy, that democracy is not our government, our constitution, our legal structure. Too often they are enemies of democracy.

Let us heed the voice of the people and recognize their common sense. If we do not, we not only blaspheme our political heritage, we ignore the common ties that bind all Americans.

Democracy must learn to defend itself.

It is an essential tenet of our whole representative form of government, the idea that there should not be some tyranny which makes it so nobody can even have a chance to vote.

The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the goverment.

To lead a country, you must periodically hold a national consultation in which people representing different programmes can make a bid for power.

The people have spoken. Their decision is sovereign. We all respect it... I wish good luck to those who will now govern France.

Voting is the foundational act that breathes life into the principle of the consent of the governed.