---
title: "5 Democracies have Quotes By James Madison"
description: "5 Democracies have quotes by James Madison. Plus more from James Madison and more Democracies have sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/819/james-madison-373_checks_a-pure-democracy-by-which-i-mean-a-socie_161340.png"
---

> [A pure Democracy, by which I mean a Society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the Government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/a-pure-democracy-by-which-i-mean-a-society-consisting-of-a-small/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/819/james-madison-373_checks_a-pure-democracy-by-which-i-mean-a-socie_161340.png)

> [Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/hence-it-is-that-such-democracies-have-ever-been-spectacles-of/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f2/james-madison-373_contention_hence-it-is-that-such-democracies-have-e_207785.jpg)

> [Democracies have been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and in general been as short in their lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/democracies-have-been-found-incompatible-with-personal-security-or/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a99/james-madison-373_contention_democracies-have-been-found-incompatible_381663.png)

> [The ultimate authority, wherever the derivative may be found, resides in the people alone, and that it will not depend merely on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-ultimate-authority-wherever-the-derivative-may-be-found-resides/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90d/james-madison-373_2-amendment_the-ultimate-authority-wherever-the-deri_1151943.jpg)

> [It may be concluded that a pure democracy . . . can admit no cure for the mischiefs of faction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-be-concluded-that-a-pure-democracy-can-admit-no-cure-for-the/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/james-madison-373_cures_it-may-be-concluded-that-a-pure-democrac_1331093.png)

## Other authors on Democracies have

## More by James Madison

> [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure & perpetuate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/rulers-who-wished-to-subvert-the-public-liberty-may-have-found-an/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-powers-delegated-by-the-proposed-constitution-to-the-federal/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely prohibited, unless we could prohibit, in like manner, the preparations and establishments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/how-could-a-readiness-for-war-in-time-of-peace-be-safely-prohibited/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-accumulation-of-all-powers-legislative-executive-and-judiciary-in/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [ It is certain that every class is interested in \[educational\] establishments which give to the human mind its highest improvements, and to every Country… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-certain-that-every-class-is-interested-in-educational/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Since it is impossible for the people spontaneously and universally, to move in concert towards their object; and it is therefore essential, that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/since-it-is-impossible-for-the-people-spontaneously-and-universally/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The definition of the right of suffrage is very justly regarded as a fundamental article of republican government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-definition-of-the-right-of-suffrage-is-very-justly-regarded-as-a/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-future-and-success-of-america-is-not-in-this-constitution-but-in/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [They can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as on the great mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/they-can-make-no-law-which-will-not-have-its-full-operation-on/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The effect of a representative democracy is to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-effect-of-a-representative-democracy-is-to-refine-and-enlarge-the/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“... But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government , there is an evil which ought to be guarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/but-besides-the-danger-of-a-direct-mixture-of-religion-civil/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Although all men are born free, slavery has been the general lot of the human race. Ignorant--they have been cheated; asleep--they have been surprised;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/although-all-men-are-born-free-slavery-has-been-the-general-lot-of/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-be-a-reflection-on-human-nature-that-such-devices-should-be/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The better proof of reverence for that holy name would be not to profane it by making it a topic of legislative discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-better-proof-of-reverence-for-that-holy-name-would-be-not-to/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

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                        "text": "A pure Democracy, by which I mean a Society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the Government in person, can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of Government itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party, or an obnoxious individual. Hence it is, that such Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives, as they have been violent in their deaths.",
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