--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the struggle for an abolitionist…" description: "\"“the struggle for an abolitionist democracy is aspiring to create the institutions that will truly allow for a democratic society. What”\" — Angela Y. D..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-y-davis-34412_abolitionist_the-struggle-for-an-abolitionist-democra_2624508.jpg" --- # the struggle for an abolitionist democracy is aspiring to… ![“the struggle for an abolitionist democracy is aspiring to create the institutions that will truly allow for a democratic society. What” quote by Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-y-davis-34412_abolitionist_the-struggle-for-an-abolitionist-democra_2624508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-y-davis-34412_abolitionist_the-struggle-for-an-abolitionist-democra_2624508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/angela-y-davis-34412_abolitionist_the-struggle-for-an-abolitionist-democra_2624508.jpg) > ““the struggle for an abolitionist democracy is aspiring to create the institutions that will truly allow for a democratic society. What”” [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates building democratic institutions that truly enable democratic participation. **In simple terms:** Create systems that allow genuine democracy. Key Takeaway Work toward inclusive democratic structures. Themes democracy institution building justice activism Mood critical inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - voting reforms - grassroots organizing - policy design - civil rights campaigns Key Concepts political theory social movements Questions to Reflect On - What institutions hinder true democracy? - How can citizens ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Institutional change is slow and can be co-opted by existing power. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abolitionist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolitionist/) [Abolitionist Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolitionist-democracy-2138567/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Aspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-aspiring-2138568/) [Democratic society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-society/) [Struggle Abolitionist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle-abolitionist-2138569/) ## Related quotes > [In a democratic society, as Max Weber said, what is possible is only possible because some people have demanded the impossible. The abolitionists helped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/in-a-democratic-society-as-max-weber-said-what-is-possible-is-only/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [“This is central to the development of feminist abolitionist theories and practices: we have to learn how to think and act and struggle against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/this-is-central-to-the-development-of-feminist-abolitionist-theories/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [Change from below, the formulation of demands from the populace to end unacceptable injustice, supported by direct action, has played a far larger part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/change-from-below-the-formulation-of-demands-from-the-populace-to-end/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [“That was when I realized we weren’t born to be slaves. It was ignorant for any man to think he could be the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/that-was-when-i-realized-we-weren-t-born-to-be-slaves-it-was-ignorant/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [Nowhere is wisdom more necessary than in the guidance of charitable impulses. Meaning well is only half our duty; Thinking right is the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-gridley-howe/nowhere-is-wisdom-more-necessary-than-in-the-guidance-of-charitable/) [Samuel Gridley Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-gridley-howe/) > [There are those who view the abolitionists as just maniacs, apolitical fanatics who helped to cause the war, and Lincoln is the model of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/there-are-those-who-view-the-abolitionists-as-just-maniacs-apolitical/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [I was in favour of the death penalty, and disposed to regard abolitionists as people whose hearts were bigger than their heads. Four years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gowers/i-was-in-favour-of-the-death-penalty-and-disposed-to-regard/) [Ernest Gowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gowers/) > [If, while I hear the wild shriek of the slave mother robbed of her little ones, I do not open my mouth, am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/if-while-i-hear-the-wild-shriek-of-the-slave-mother-robbed-of-her/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [It’s time for a 21st-century abolitionist movement in the U.S and around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/it-s-time-for-a-21st-century-abolitionist-movement-in-the-u-s-and/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [You point out that war is only a symptom of the whole horrid business of human behavior, and cannot be isolated. And that, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/you-point-out-that-war-is-only-a-symptom-of-the-whole-horrid-business/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-am-aware-that-many-object-to-the-severity-of-my-language-but-is/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [Whether by the House or by the People, if an Abolitionist be chosen President of the United States, you will have presented to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/whether-by-the-house-or-by-the-people-if-an-abolitionist-be-chosen/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [One of the songs that stayed in my head that I really considered a lot was an old folk song called 'John Brown' -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/one-of-the-songs-that-stayed-in-my-head-that-i-really-considered-a/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies; for the truth is powerful and will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/i-feel-safe-even-in-the-midst-of-my-enemies-for-the-truth-is-powerful/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [Many abolitionists have yet to learn the ABC of woman's rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/many-abolitionists-have-yet-to-learn-the-abc-of-woman-s-rights/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) ## More by Angela Y. Davis > [“The process of trying to assimilate into an existing category in many ways runs counter to efforts to produce radical or revolutionary results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/the-process-of-trying-to-assimilate-into-an-existing-category-in-many/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“When Obama was elected president, a prisoner said “one black man in the White House doesn’t make up for one million black men in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/when-obama-was-elected-president-a-prisoner-said-one-black-man-in-the/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“This is central to the development of feminist abolitionist theories and practices: we have to learn how to think and act and struggle against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/this-is-central-to-the-development-of-feminist-abolitionist-theories/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“YA DA DO (Lovie Austin) Every evenin’ ’bout half past four Sweet piano playin’ near my door And turn to raggin’, you never heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/ya-da-do-lovie-austin-every-evenin-bout-half-past-four-sweet-piano/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“Our histories never unfold in isolation. We cannot truly tell what we consider to be our own histories without knowing the other stories. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/our-histories-never-unfold-in-isolation-we-cannot-truly-tell-what-we/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“Neoliberal ideology drives us to focus on individuals, ourselves, individual victims, individual perpetrators. But how is it possible to solve the massive problem of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/neoliberal-ideology-drives-us-to-focus-on-individuals-ourselves/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“The majority of people who are in prison are there because society has failed them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/the-majority-of-people-who-are-in-prison-are-there-because-society/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“What I do want people to remember is the fact that the movement around the demand for my freedom was victorious. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/what-i-do-want-people-to-remember-is-the-fact-that-the-movement/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/in-a-racist-society-it-is-not-enough-to-be-non-racist-we-must-be-anti/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“even when police are indicted, we cannot be certain that change is on the agenda. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/even-when-police-are-indicted-we-cannot-be-certain-that-change-is-on/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“What can we learn from women like Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday that we may not be able to learn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/what-can-we-learn-from-women-like-gertrude-ma-rainey-bessie-smith-and/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [ “\[Prison\] relieves us of the responsibility of seriously engaging with the problems of our society, especially those produced by racism and, increasingly, global capitalism.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/prison-relieves-us-of-the-responsibility-of-seriously-engaging-with/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) > [“There is a difference between outcome and impact. Many people assume that because the encampments are gone and nothing tangible was produced, that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-y-davis/there-is-a-difference-between-outcome-and-impact-many-people-assume/) [Angela Y. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) [Explore all 14 Angela Y. Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-y-davis/) ## More Abolitionist quotes > [Nowhere is wisdom more necessary than in the guidance of charitable impulses. Meaning well is only half our duty; Thinking right is the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-gridley-howe/nowhere-is-wisdom-more-necessary-than-in-the-guidance-of-charitable/) [Samuel Gridley Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-gridley-howe/) > [“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-am-aware-that-many-object-to-the-severity-of-my-language-but-is/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [“That was when I realized we weren’t born to be slaves. It was ignorant for any man to think he could be the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/that-was-when-i-realized-we-weren-t-born-to-be-slaves-it-was-ignorant/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies; for the truth is powerful and will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sojourner-truth/i-feel-safe-even-in-the-midst-of-my-enemies-for-the-truth-is-powerful/) [Sojourner Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sojourner-truth/) > [One of the songs that stayed in my head that I really considered a lot was an old folk song called 'John Brown' -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/one-of-the-songs-that-stayed-in-my-head-that-i-really-considered-a/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [Whether by the House or by the People, if an Abolitionist be chosen President of the United States, you will have presented to you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/whether-by-the-house-or-by-the-people-if-an-abolitionist-be-chosen/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [Many abolitionists have yet to learn the ABC of woman's rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/many-abolitionists-have-yet-to-learn-the-abc-of-woman-s-rights/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [You point out that war is only a symptom of the whole horrid business of human behavior, and cannot be isolated. And that, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/you-point-out-that-war-is-only-a-symptom-of-the-whole-horrid-business/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [It’s time for a 21st-century abolitionist movement in the U.S and around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/it-s-time-for-a-21st-century-abolitionist-movement-in-the-u-s-and/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [If, while I hear the wild shriek of the slave mother robbed of her little ones, I do not open my mouth, am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/if-while-i-hear-the-wild-shriek-of-the-slave-mother-robbed-of-her/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [I was in favour of the death penalty, and disposed to regard abolitionists as people whose hearts were bigger than their heads. Four years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gowers/i-was-in-favour-of-the-death-penalty-and-disposed-to-regard/) [Ernest Gowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gowers/) > [There are those who view the abolitionists as just maniacs, apolitical fanatics who helped to cause the war, and Lincoln is the model of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/there-are-those-who-view-the-abolitionists-as-just-maniacs-apolitical/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [In such a condition of affairs, the practical difference between the abolitionist and the sympathizer, to the man who lost his slave and could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sergeant-wise/in-such-a-condition-of-affairs-the-practical-difference-between-the/) [John Sergeant Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sergeant-wise/) > [If I had to write down the most important people in the history of this planet, No.1 would be (abolitionist) John Brown. Why? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/if-i-had-to-write-down-the-most-important-people-in-the-history-of/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [“These men are all talk. What we need is action—action!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brown/these-men-are-all-talk-what-we-need-is-action-action/) [John Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brown/) [Browse all 90 Abolitionist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolitionist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“the struggle for an abolitionist democracy is aspiring to create the institutions that will truly allow for a democratic society. What”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Angela Y. 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