Charles Evans Hughes Quotes

In democracies the people seem to act as they please.

Just the concept of personal freedom within a democracy, for instance, is a relatively young idea - only about 300 years old in this country.

The present generation has the same right of self-government which the past one has exercised for itself.

What if democracy does not serve liberty? This question is seldom asked in the West, where democracy is often seen as synonymous with liberalism.

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.

The free society tolerates those within it who would use that freedom to destroy it.

The freedom to persuade and suggest is the essence of the democratic process.

Parties must ever exist in a free country.

Democracy is not a state in which people act like sheep. Under democracy individual liberty of opinion and action is jealously guarded ...

I think democracy is a universal idea and I think letting people rule themselves happens to be something that serves America and America’s interests.

The consent of the governed" is more than a safeguard against ignorant tyrants: it is an insurance against benevolent despots as well.

Popular sovereignty is relatively easy to establish; the other component of democracy, liberty, is far more difficulty to secure.

We can't impose freedom, but we can eliminate roadblocks to freedom, and to allow free societies to develop.

Under democracy, individual liberty of opinion and action is jealously guarded.

The primal principle of democracy is the worth and dignity of the individual.

Democracy must learn to defend itself.

Even if I were knocked down by one gunshot it wouldn't affect our democracy and I wasn't knocked down and I have great confidence in our democracy and in Taiwan and in the people of Taiwan.

We should never take democracy for granted. Democracy can emerge and develop, but it can also decay.

I believe in the America people's ability to govern themselves. If government would just get out of the way and allow them to lead their lives as they choose, they will succeed.

I regard freedom of expression as the primary right without which one can not have a proper functioning democracy.

As long as our government is administered for the good of the people, and is regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of persons and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press, it will be worth defending.

Democracy is now going forth on a crusade against imperialism.

Our Constitution was put together for a free people.

Everybody now seems to be talking about democracy. I don't understand this. As I think of it, democracy isn't like a Sunday suit to be brought out and worn only for parades. It's the kind of a life a decent man leads, it's something to live for and to die for.

I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free.