--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To those who cynically say today that…" description: "\"To those who cynically say today that liberal democracy would be 'obsolete,' I reply: liberal democracy, human rights, freedom of the press and the rul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-126_democracy_to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-li_2560971.jpg" --- # To those who cynically say today that liberal democracy… ![“To those who cynically say today that liberal democracy would be 'obsolete,' I reply: liberal democracy, human rights, freedom of the press and the rule of law were the right way, are the right way, and will be the right way.” quote by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-126_democracy_to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-li_2560971.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-126_democracy_to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-li_2560971.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-126_democracy_to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-li_2560971.jpg) > “To those who cynically say today that liberal democracy would be 'obsolete,' I reply: liberal democracy, human rights, freedom of the press and the rule of law were the right way, are the right way, and will be the right way.” [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Liberal democracy remains the optimal system for protecting rights and law, despite cynics. **In simple terms:** Democracy is still the best way to protect freedoms. Key Takeaway Defend democratic institutions. Themes politics democracy human rights law freedom Mood optimistic determined Type political defensive When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - civil activism - education campaigns Key Concepts Governance pluralism rule of law Questions to Reflect On - How can democracy adapt to modern challenges? - What safeguards protect it from erosion? A Different Perspective Critics argue democracy can be inefficient or corrupt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-human-505786/) [Democracy Obsolete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-obsolete-1605132/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom of the press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-the-press/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Liberal democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-democracy/) [Reply Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reply-liberal-1605133/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) [Rule of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [I call government that works the best for people open society, which is basically just another more general term for a democracy that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/i-call-government-that-works-the-best-for-people-open-society-which/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [The great ideas of the West - rationalism, self-criticism, the disinterested search for truth, the separation of church and state, the rule of law,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-warraq/the-great-ideas-of-the-west-rationalism-self-criticism-the/) [Ibn Warraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-warraq/) > [Christians - at least Christians in a liberal democracy - have accepted, after Thomas Hobbes, that they must obey the secular rule of law;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/christians-at-least-christians-in-a-liberal-democracy-have-accepted/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [“Liberalism is a creation of the seventeenth century, fathered by British philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). For Locke, liberalism means limited government, the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/liberalism-is-a-creation-of-the-seventeenth-century-fathered-by/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [We must take proactive steps to promote democracy and human rights abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-brownback/we-must-take-proactive-steps-to-promote-democracy-and-human-rights/) [Sam Brownback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-brownback/) > [The principles of the SPD have remained the same for 150 years: democracy, human dignity, justice and inclusion. We will never change those principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/the-principles-of-the-spd-have-remained-the-same-for-150-years/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [We must struggle for creating a democratic system that is dedicated to democracy and human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akbar-ganji/we-must-struggle-for-creating-a-democratic-system-that-is-dedicated/) [Akbar Ganji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akbar-ganji/) > [Hong Kong is not just a global financial center. It's also a place with a lot of teens and youth who love freedom, democracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/hong-kong-is-not-just-a-global-financial-center-it-s-also-a-place/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [The world also remains a hopeful place. Calls for democracy and human rights are being reborn everywhere, and these calls are an expression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/the-world-also-remains-a-hopeful-place-calls-for-democracy-and-human/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [There can be no real growth without healthy populations. No sustainable development without tackling disease and malnutrition. No international security without assisting crisis-ridden countries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-can-be-no-real-growth-without-healthy-populations-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am against revolution and am proud of it. Democracy cannot be created through revolutions. The most important dichotomy that I make for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akbar-ganji/i-am-against-revolution-and-am-proud-of-it-democracy-cannot-be/) [Akbar Ganji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akbar-ganji/) > [Education is important even beyond the bounds of the opportunities it gives to the individual; it is a crucial and basic requirement for ensuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/education-is-important-even-beyond-the-bounds-of-the-opportunities-it/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [One cannot have a trade union or a democratic election without freedom of speech, freedom of association and assembly. Without a democratic election, whereby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-meany/one-cannot-have-a-trade-union-or-a-democratic-election-without/) [George Meany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-meany/) > [Any strategy to promote democracy and human rights must have the fight against corruption at its heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/any-strategy-to-promote-democracy-and-human-rights-must-have-the/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [America's foreign policy supports freedom, democracy, and human dignity for all mankind, and we make no apologies for it. The opportunity society that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/america-s-foreign-policy-supports-freedom-democracy-and-human-dignity/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer > [Europe cannot be only the receiver of strategic decisions of others, that is China or the U.S.A. We have to be strong ourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/europe-cannot-be-only-the-receiver-of-strategic-decisions-of-others/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [There are also parties in Germany that support leaving the E.U. Everyone can see in the example of Britain what consequences that would have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/there-are-also-parties-in-germany-that-support-leaving-the-e-u/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [The CDU is a party with more than 400,000 members. The fact that each one has a different opinion is what makes us interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/the-cdu-is-a-party-with-more-than-400-000-members-the-fact-that-each/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [There comes a time in everybody's life when it's no longer enough to point and say he or she should do it, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/there-comes-a-time-in-everybody-s-life-when-it-s-no-longer-enough-to/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [I have to do my work as party leader and that's what I'm concentrating on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/i-have-to-do-my-work-as-party-leader-and-that-s-what-i-m/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [Spain is an example of how hard it is for a conservative party to campaign for elections if the suspicion is fueled that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/spain-is-an-example-of-how-hard-it-is-for-a-conservative-party-to/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [I support social market economy. But it only works if there is fair competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/i-support-social-market-economy-but-it-only-works-if-there-is-fair/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [My life won't be ruined if I don't achieve all of my political goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/my-life-won-t-be-ruined-if-i-don-t-achieve-all-of-my-political-goals/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [I have read a lot about what I am and who I am: 'mini,' a copy, simply 'more of the same.' Dear delegates, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/i-have-read-a-lot-about-what-i-am-and-who-i-am-mini-a-copy-simply/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [Our feeling of community and security in Europe requires safe external borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/our-feeling-of-community-and-security-in-europe-requires-safe/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [If there is a sport that I'm not particularly fond of, then it is synchronized swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/if-there-is-a-sport-that-i-m-not-particularly-fond-of-then-it-is/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [Being a people's party cannot mean being a kind of all-purpose political shop that offers something for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/being-a-people-s-party-cannot-mean-being-a-kind-of-all-purpose/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [When it comes to me, I can rule out that I am scheming for a change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/when-it-comes-to-me-i-can-rule-out-that-i-am-scheming-for-a-change/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [For a long time, perhaps too long, we believed that the world around us would become more and more peaceful, and the order more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/for-a-long-time-perhaps-too-long-we-believed-that-the-world-around-us/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) > [Anything that keeps the U.K. close to the E.U. and best of all, in the E.U., would make me personally very happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/anything-that-keeps-the-u-k-close-to-the-e-u-and-best-of-all-in-the-e/) [Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) [Explore all 54 Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To those who cynically say today that liberal democracy would be 'obsolete,' I reply: liberal democracy, human rights, freedom of the press and the rule of law were the right way, are the right way, and will be the right way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-liberal-democracy-would-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-liberal-democracy-would-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-126_democracy_to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-li_2560971.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-126_democracy_to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-li_2560971.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-126_democracy_to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-li_2560971.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To those who cynically say today that liberal democracy would be 'obsolete,' I reply: liberal democracy…” — Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To those who cynically say today...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-liberal-democracy-would-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer/to-those-who-cynically-say-today-that-liberal-democracy-would-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```