--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great thing about democracy is that…" description: "\"The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.\" — Art Spander" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/514/art-spander-62912_democracy_the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that_1688490.png" --- # The great thing about democracy is that it gives every… ![“The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.” quote by Art Spander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/514/art-spander-62912_democracy_the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that_1688490.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/514/art-spander-62912_democracy_the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that_1688490.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/514/art-spander-62912_democracy_the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that_1688490.png) > “The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.” [Art Spander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy lets every voter act foolishly, highlighting its openness. **In simple terms:** Democracy allows stupid voter actions. Key Takeaway Accept and improve democratic participation. Themes politics democracy voter behavior humor Mood witty critical Type satirical commentary When to use this quote - elections - public policy - civic education - media critique Key Concepts civic engagement decision making Questions to Reflect On - How can we educate voters better? - What safeguards protect democracy from folly? A Different Perspective Voter ignorance can undermine outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ## Related quotes > [When threatened, the first thing a democracy gives up is democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/when-threatened-the-first-thing-a-democracy-gives-up-is-democracy/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-understand-democracy-as-something-that-gives-the-weak-the-same/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Parker Palmer puts it, “Democracy gives us the right to disagree and is designed to use the energy of creative conflict to drive positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fea/parker-palmer-puts-it-democracy-gives-us-the-right-to-disagree-and-is/) [John Fea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fea/) > [Democracy gives you the freedom to choose who just prefer to have their abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/democracy-gives-you-the-freedom-to-choose-who-just-prefer-to-have/) Mak\_786 > [Democracy gives every man the right to be his own oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/democracy-gives-every-man-the-right-to-be-his-own-oppressor/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Democracy is a system that gives people a chance to elect rascals of their own choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-larson/democracy-is-a-system-that-gives-people-a-chance-to-elect-rascals-of/) [Doug Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-larson/) > [“In the end, democracy gives us popular and handsome men, not geniuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-the-end-democracy-gives-us-popular-and-handsome-men-not-geniuses/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [Inequality also distorts our democracy. It gives an outsized voice to the few who can afford high-priced lobbyists and unlimited campaign contributions, and runs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/inequality-also-distorts-our-democracy-it-gives-an-outsized-voice-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [No government demands so much from the citizens as democracy and none gives back so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryce/no-government-demands-so-much-from-the-citizens-as-democracy-and-none/) [James Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryce/) > [Democracy gives the aura of legitimacy to acts that would otherwise be considered tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/democracy-gives-the-aura-of-legitimacy-to-acts-that-would-otherwise/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing. What is necessary now is one thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/democracy-is-never-a-thing-done-democracy-is-always-something-that-a/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [When you are subverting the power of government, that's a fundamentally dangerous thing to democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-you-are-subverting-the-power-of-government-that-s-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The thing about democracy, beloveds, is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-thing-about-democracy-beloveds-is-that-it-is-not-neat-orderly-or/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [It's a beautiful thing when democracy prevails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-s-a-beautiful-thing-when-democracy-prevails/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [In democracy - and the good thing about democracy, big change does not happen quickly, and you need a buy-in and a convincing, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-rauner/in-democracy-and-the-good-thing-about-democracy-big-change-does-not/) [Bruce Rauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-rauner/) ## More by Art Spander > [The longer you stay in one place, the greater your chances of disillusionment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/the-longer-you-stay-in-one-place-the-greater-your-chances-of/) [Art Spander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/) > [Golf is a game not just of manners but of morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/golf-is-a-game-not-just-of-manners-but-of-morals/) [Art Spander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/) > [The longer you stay in one place, the greater your chance of disillusionment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/the-longer-you-stay-in-one-place-the-greater-your-chance-of/) [Art Spander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/) > [Basketball has so much showboating you'd think it was invented by Jerome Kern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/basketball-has-so-much-showboating-you-d-think-it-was-invented-by/) [Art Spander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/) [Explore all 5 Art Spander quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/) ## 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": "The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Art Spander" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that-it-gives-every-voter-a-chance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that-it-gives-every-voter-a-chance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/514/art-spander-62912_democracy_the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that_1688490.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/514/art-spander-62912_democracy_the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that_1688490.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/514/art-spander-62912_democracy_the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that_1688490.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great thing about democracy is that it gives every voter a chance to do something stupid.” — Art Spander", "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": "Art Spander", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spander/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The great thing about democracy is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that-it-gives-every-voter-a-chance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spander/the-great-thing-about-democracy-is-that-it-gives-every-voter-a-chance/#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 } } ] } ```