America Quote by Arundhati Roy
“Talk loud enough about human rights and it gives the impression of democracy at work, justice at work. There was a time when the United States waged war to topple democracies, because back then democracy was a threat to the Free Market. Countries were nationalising their resources, protecting their markets… So then, real democracies were being toppled. They were toppled in Iran, they were toppled all across Latin America, Chile.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public lecture on democracy, 2008
Democracy is portrayed as noble, yet powerful interests manipulate it for profit.
In simple terms: Democracy can be a façade.
Question who benefits from policies.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- foreign policy
- media analysis
- activism
- academic study
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Who truly defines democracy?
- How do economic interests shape political narratives?
Democracy's ideals often clash with realpolitik.