--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting…" description: "\"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/benjamin-franklin-65_democracy_democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-votin_2436024.png" --- # Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have… ![“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/benjamin-franklin-65_democracy_democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-votin_2436024.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/benjamin-franklin-65_democracy_democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-votin_2436024.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/benjamin-franklin-65_democracy_democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-votin_2436024.png) > “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique that majority rule can oppress minorities unless they have means to defend themselves. **In simple terms:** Majority can dominate minorities without protection. Key Takeaway Ensure rights are protected against majority tyranny. Themes politics rights power liberty democracy Mood cautionary critical Type satirical political When to use this quote - elections - legislative decisions - civil rights movements - public policy debates - community governance Key Concepts social contract majority rule minority rights Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance majority rule with minority protection? - What mechanisms safeguard against oppression? A Different Perspective If the lamb is unarmed, the metaphor may oversimplify complex institutional checks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Two wolves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-wolves/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) ## Related quotes > [Democracy is four wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/democracy-is-four-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-what-to-have-for-lunch/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/democracy-is-not-freedom-democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-3/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/democracy-is-not-freedom-democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/democracy-must-be-something-more-than-two-wolves-and-a-sheep-voting/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [“Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-simkin/democracy-is-not-freedom-democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-2/) Marvin Simkin > [Democracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/democracy-is-four-wolves-and-a-sheep-voting-on-dinner/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“There is a battle of two wolves inside us all. One is evil: it is anger, envy, greed, arrogance, jealousy, resentment, lies. The other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-stevens/there-is-a-battle-of-two-wolves-inside-us-all-one-is-evil-it-is-anger/) Angela Stevens > [We all have demons inside us, Nick. The Tsalagi have an old saying—every heart holds two wolves. One is the white wolf, who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/we-all-have-demons-inside-us-nick-the-tsalagi-have-an-old-saying/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“There is an old story passed down through the generations of a Native American grandfather counseling his young grandson, telling him that he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/there-is-an-old-story-passed-down-through-the-generations-of-a-native/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [“An old man spoke to his grandson. "My child," he said. "Inside everyone there is a battle between two wolves. One is Evil. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-woodward/an-old-man-spoke-to-his-grandson-my-child-he-said-inside-everyone/) Christine Woodward > [A fight is going on inside me," said an old man to his son. "It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mass/a-fight-is-going-on-inside-me-said-an-old-man-to-his-son-it-is-a/) [Wendy Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mass/) > [“I once heard a Native American teaching story in which an elder, a grandmother, was asked what she had done to become so happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-hanson/i-once-heard-a-native-american-teaching-story-in-which-an-elder-a/) [Rick Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-hanson/) > [“One day, a young boy went up to his grandfather, who was an old Cherokee chief. ‘Edudi?’ the boy asked. ‘Why are you so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/one-day-a-young-boy-went-up-to-his-grandfather-who-was-an-old/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Deep inside your heart there are two wolves. Each strong enough to devour the other, they are in constant war. One is evil through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/deep-inside-your-heart-there-are-two-wolves-each-strong-enough-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The two men were greedily hunched over the table, like two wolves disputing a carcass, but their muttered speech in the echoing hall resembled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-neruda/the-two-men-were-greedily-hunched-over-the-table-like-two-wolves/) [Jan Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-neruda/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## 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 two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-what-to-have-for-lunch/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-what-to-have-for-lunch/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/benjamin-franklin-65_democracy_democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-votin_2436024.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/benjamin-franklin-65_democracy_democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-votin_2436024.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/benjamin-franklin-65_democracy_democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-votin_2436024.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting…” — Benjamin Franklin", "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": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Democracy is two wolves and a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-what-to-have-for-lunch/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-what-to-have-for-lunch/#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 } } ] } ```