--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy, taken in its narrower, purely…" description: "\"Democracy, taken in its narrower, purely political, sense, suffers from the fact that those in economic and political power possess the means for moldi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/albert-einstein-33_citizenry_democracy-taken-in-its-narrower-purely-p_327635.jpg" --- # Democracy, taken in its narrower, purely political, sense… ![“Democracy, taken in its narrower, purely political, sense, suffers from the fact that those in economic and political power possess the means for molding public opinion to serve their own class interests. The democratic form of government in itself does not automatically solve problems; it offers…” quote by Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/albert-einstein-33_citizenry_democracy-taken-in-its-narrower-purely-p_327635.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/albert-einstein-33_citizenry_democracy-taken-in-its-narrower-purely-p_327635.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c0/albert-einstein-33_citizenry_democracy-taken-in-its-narrower-purely-p_327635.jpg) > “Democracy, taken in its narrower, purely political, sense, suffers from the fact that those in economic and political power possess the means for molding public opinion to serve their own class interests. The democratic form of government in itself does not automatically solve problems; it offers, however, a useful framework for their solution. Everything depends ultimately on the political and moral qualities of the citizenry.” [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy provides a framework but depends on citizens' moral and political quality; power can skew opinion. **In simple terms:** Democracy works if people are virtuous. Key Takeaway Cultivate civic virtue. Themes citizenship politics power ethics Mood concerned hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - media consumption Key Concepts Social influence public opinion Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens resist manipulation? - What responsibilities do voters have? A Different Perspective Powerful interests may dominate despite democratic structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Forms of government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forms-of-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Molding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/molding/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-power/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Public opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-opinion/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [Nigeria shed the last of a succession of brutal military dictatorships in 1997 and adopted a democratic form of government only in 1999. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzodinma-iweala/nigeria-shed-the-last-of-a-succession-of-brutal-military/) [Uzodinma Iweala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzodinma-iweala/) > [It is unhealthy to have one of the two main parties paralyzed by internal conflict. So, it's in all of our interests for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/it-is-unhealthy-to-have-one-of-the-two-main-parties-paralyzed-by/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [You cannot force a country to do something that is against its own interests or against the democratic process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/you-cannot-force-a-country-to-do-something-that-is-against-its-own/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Yet in a society of conflicting interests the only democratic way in which matters can be improved is through politics, and politics means the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/yet-in-a-society-of-conflicting-interests-the-only-democratic-way-in/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [A democratic form of government, a democratic way of life, presupposes free public education over a long period; it presupposes also an education for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/a-democratic-form-of-government-a-democratic-way-of-life-presupposes/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Reddit is like any democratic form of government - unless carefully guarded by its leaders and members, its trusts and privileges can be and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/reddit-is-like-any-democratic-form-of-government-unless-carefully/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It was one of the great mass achievements of American civilization, and we did it because we thought if you were going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-was-one-of-the-great-mass-achievements-of-american-civilization/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [Global governance need not take a democratic form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/global-governance-need-not-take-a-democratic-form/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [We believe that an informed citizenry will act for life and not for death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/we-believe-that-an-informed-citizenry-will-act-for-life-and-not-for/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [By exploring the political and moral colorings of discoveries about what makes us tick, we can have a more honest science and a less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/by-exploring-the-political-and-moral-colorings-of-discoveries-about/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [If you would know the political and moral condition of a people, ask as to the position of its women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aime-martin/if-you-would-know-the-political-and-moral-condition-of-a-people-ask/) [Aime Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aime-martin/) > [I think we have a political and moral duty to do everything within our power to maintain the Good Friday Agreement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-timmermans/i-think-we-have-a-political-and-moral-duty-to-do-everything-within/) [Frans Timmermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-timmermans/) > [Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political moral questions of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/nonviolence-is-the-answer-to-the-crucial-political-moral-questions-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I never view aesthetic ideas as having an existence purely of their own but as a function they have in connection with political or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoni-tapies/i-never-view-aesthetic-ideas-as-having-an-existence-purely-of-their/) [Antoni Tapies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoni-tapies/) > [“What it means to be a ‘better person’, then, must be concrete and practical — that is to say, concerned with people’s political situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/what-it-means-to-be-a-better-person-then-must-be-concrete-and/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) ## More by Albert Einstein > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The strongest force in the universe is Compound Interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-strongest-force-in-the-universe-is-compound-interest/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The right to search for the truth implies also a duty; one must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-right-to-search-for-the-truth-implies-also-a-duty-one-must-not/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/everything-that-is-really-great-and-inspiring-is-created-by-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The world we have made is a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-world-we-have-made-is-a-result-of-the-level-of-thinking-we-have/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Anyone who thinks science is trying to make human life easier or more pleasant is utterly mistaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/anyone-who-thinks-science-is-trying-to-make-human-life-easier-or-more/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Life isn't worth living, unless it is lived for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/life-isn-t-worth-living-unless-it-is-lived-for-someone-else/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it isn't true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/just-because-you-don-t-believe-in-something-doesn-t-mean-it-isn-t-true/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [But there is another reason for the high repute of mathematics: it is mathematics that offers the exact natural sciences a certain measure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/but-there-is-another-reason-for-the-high-repute-of-mathematics-it-is/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nothing-will-benefit-human-health-and-increase-the-chances-for/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) [Explore all 2,339 Albert Einstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More Citizenry quotes > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [You cannot have 300-some million Americans - and really, right, the global citizenry be at risk of having their phone conversations intercepted with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/you-cannot-have-300-some-million-americans-and-really-right-the/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [Politics is about the participation and engagement of the wider citizenry - to miss that point would doom us to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/politics-is-about-the-participation-and-engagement-of-the-wider/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [One reason the United States finds itself at the edge of a foreign policy disaster is its underinformed citizenry, a key weakness in democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-halper/one-reason-the-united-states-finds-itself-at-the-edge-of-a-foreign/) Stefan Halper > [Higher education is confronting challenges, like the economy is, about the need for a higher number of more adequately trained, more highly educated citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-spellings/higher-education-is-confronting-challenges-like-the-economy-is-about/) [Margaret Spellings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-spellings/) > [Democracy is not about trust; it is about distrust. It is about accountability, exposure, open debate, critical challenge, and popular input and feedback from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/democracy-is-not-about-trust-it-is-about-distrust-it-is-about/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-citizens-what-we-can-do-as-a/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [A popular feel for scientific endeavors should, if possible, be restored given the needs of the twenty-first century. This does not mean that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/a-popular-feel-for-scientific-endeavors-should-if-possible-be/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/the-best-defense-against-usurpatory-government-is-an-assertive/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind is closed, the leader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/and-when-the-drums-of-war-have-reached-a-fever-pitch-and-the-blood/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [I think it's something that the citizenry needs to be vigilant about - participating in democracy, and that includes issues like what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-it-s-something-that-the-citizenry-needs-to-be-vigilant-about/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [Today's political leaders demonstrate their low opinion of the public with every social law they pass. They believe that, if given the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/today-s-political-leaders-demonstrate-their-low-opinion-of-the-public/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [“When justice is prioritized by any leader at any level then to give justice to the citizenry will always be at the back of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-justice-is-prioritized-by-any-leader-at-any-level-then-to-give/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I feel that the Second Amendment is the right to keep and bear arms for our citizenry. This not for someone who's in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharron-angle/i-feel-that-the-second-amendment-is-the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms/) [Sharron Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharron-angle/) > [This has been the new normal since September 11. Everyone knows, but nobody says, that if something happens again, the elite consensus in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/this-has-been-the-new-normal-since-september-11-everyone-knows-but/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) Browse all 138 Citizenry quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy, taken in its narrower, purely political, sense, suffers from the fact that those in economic and political power possess the means for molding public opinion to serve their own class interests. The democratic form of government in itself does not automatically solve problems; it offers, however, a useful framework for their solution. 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