---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is necessary to peace and to…"
description: "\"Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.\" — Benazir Bhutto"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/benazir-bhutto-7903_democracy_democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-u_2676084.png"
---

#  Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the…

![“Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.” quote by Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/benazir-bhutto-7903_democracy_democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-u_2676084.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/benazir-bhutto-7903_democracy_democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-u_2676084.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/benazir-bhutto-7903_democracy_democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-u_2676084.png)

> “Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.”

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Democracy fosters peace by dispersing power, reducing terrorism’s appeal through inclusive governance.

**In simple terms:** Democracy reduces conflict.

Key Takeaway

Support democratic institutions.

Themes

peace governance terrorism

Mood

serious optimistic

Type

political inspirational

When to use this quote

- policy making
- community organizing
- education curricula
- international aid

Key Concepts

political theory human rights

Questions to Reflect On

- How can democracy be made more responsive?
- What safeguards prevent democratic backsliding?

A Different Perspective

Democratic systems can be slow to act.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/)

## Related quotes

> [Restoration of friendship with Russia, our biggest neighbor, is necessary for our peace and economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bidzina-ivanishvili/restoration-of-friendship-with-russia-our-biggest-neighbor-is/)

[Bidzina Ivanishvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bidzina-ivanishvili/)

> [It is absolutely necessary, for the peace and safety of mankind, that some of earth's dark, dead corners and unplumbed depths be let alone;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-the-peace-and-safety-of-mankind-that/)

[H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/)

> [Law and its instrument, government, are necessary to the peace and safety of all of us, but all of us, unless we live the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/law-and-its-instrument-government-are-necessary-to-the-peace-and/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [I want our enemies to understand that don't think that their violent acts are going to cause this president to leave before the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-want-our-enemies-to-understand-that-don-t-think-that-their-violent/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [It is the evil in man that makes democracy necessary, and man's belief in justice that makes democracy possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/it-is-the-evil-in-man-that-makes-democracy-necessary-and-man-s-belief/)

[Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/)

> [Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/man-s-capacity-for-justice-makes-democracy-possible-but-man-s/)

[Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/)

> [In a democracy it is necessary that people should learn to endure having their sentiments outraged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/in-a-democracy-it-is-necessary-that-people-should-learn-to-endure/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [I don't care if you're a liberal icon or a conservative icon. If you are not willing to be active in your democracy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-don-t-care-if-you-re-a-liberal-icon-or-a-conservative-icon-if-you/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [In order to improve democracy, then, it's necessary to change the people, as Brecht ironically proposed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/in-order-to-improve-democracy-then-it-s-necessary-to-change-the/)

[Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/)

> [Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-carroll-of-carrollton/without-morals-a-republic-cannot-subsist-any-length-of-time-they/)

Charles Carroll of Carrollton

> [I seek to lead a democratic Pakistan which is free from the yoke of military dictatorship and that will cease to be a haven,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-seek-to-lead-a-democratic-pakistan-which-is-free-from-the-yoke-of/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [While living in America when I attended Harvard in the early 1970s, I saw for myself the awesome, almost miraculous, power of a people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/while-living-in-america-when-i-attended-harvard-in-the-early-1970s-i/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Democracies don't go to war against each other, and by and large they don't sponsor terrorism. They're more likely to respect the environment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/democracies-don-t-go-to-war-against-each-other-and-by-and-large-they/)

[William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/)

> [And it is essential that in fighting terrorism, sacrifices should not be made on democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulent-ecevit/and-it-is-essential-that-in-fighting-terrorism-sacrifices-should-not/)

[Bulent Ecevit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulent-ecevit/)

> [The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-spirit-of-democracy-cannot-be-established-in-the-midst-of/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

## More by Benazir Bhutto

> [While living in America when I attended Harvard in the early 1970s, I saw for myself the awesome, almost miraculous, power of a people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/while-living-in-america-when-i-attended-harvard-in-the-early-1970s-i/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [ \[On Richard M. Nixon:\] Americans began with a president who couldn't tell a lie and now they have one who can't tell the truth. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/on-richard-m-nixon-americans-began-with-a-president-who-couldn-t-tell/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Whatever my aims and agendas were, I never asked for power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/whatever-my-aims-and-agendas-were-i-never-asked-for-power/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [I seek to lead a democratic Pakistan which is free from the yoke of military dictatorship and that will cease to be a haven,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-seek-to-lead-a-democratic-pakistan-which-is-free-from-the-yoke-of/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Democracy needs support, and the best support for democracy comes from other democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-needs-support-and-the-best-support-for-democracy-comes-from/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [I am constitutionally competent to contest the elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-am-constitutionally-competent-to-contest-the-elections/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Political dictatorship and social hopelessness create the desperation that fuels religious extremism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/political-dictatorship-and-social-hopelessness-create-the-desperation/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [The political parties have unanimously rejected the one-man constitutional changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/the-political-parties-have-unanimously-rejected-the-one-man/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Freedom is not an end. Freedom is a beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/freedom-is-not-an-end-freedom-is-a-beginning/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [The Holy Book calls upon Muslims to resist tyranny. Dictatorships in Pakistan, however long, have, therefore, always collapsed in the face of this spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/the-holy-book-calls-upon-muslims-to-resist-tyranny-dictatorships-in/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [I was brought up to believe that human beings are good, which is why it shocks me to the core when I see human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-human-beings-are-good-which-is-why/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Democracy is the best revenge. After Benazir Bhutto's death, her son's brief public remarks were captured on video, and they were reported in international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-is-the-best-revenge-after-benazir-bhutto-s-death-her-son-s/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Extremism can flourish only in an environment where basic governmental social responsibility for the welfare of the people is neglected. Political dictatorship and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/extremism-can-flourish-only-in-an-environment-where-basic/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [Oppression does not know the meaning of provincial boundaries. Aren't our energies better spent fighting the common enemy instead of each other?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/oppression-does-not-know-the-meaning-of-provincial-boundaries-aren-t/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

> [A political war can be fought from anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/a-political-war-can-be-fought-from-anywhere/)

[Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

[Explore all 86 Benazir Bhutto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/)

## 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": "Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Benazir Bhutto"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-undermining-the-forces-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Democracy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-undermining-the-forces-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/benazir-bhutto-7903_democracy_democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-u_2676084.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/benazir-bhutto-7903_democracy_democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-u_2676084.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b92/benazir-bhutto-7903_democracy_democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-u_2676084.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.” — Benazir Bhutto",
                "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": "Benazir Bhutto",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Democracy is necessary to peace and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-undermining-the-forces-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-undermining-the-forces-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
