--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a democracy there are only two types…" description: "\"In a democracy there are only two types of power: there's organized people and organized money, and organized money only wins when people aren't organi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/benjamin-todd-jealous-45215_democracy_in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types_1689670.jpg" --- # In a democracy there are only two types of power: there's… ![“In a democracy there are only two types of power: there's organized people and organized money, and organized money only wins when people aren't organized.” quote by Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/benjamin-todd-jealous-45215_democracy_in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types_1689670.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/benjamin-todd-jealous-45215_democracy_in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types_1689670.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/benjamin-todd-jealous-45215_democracy_in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types_1689670.jpg) > “In a democracy there are only two types of power: there's organized people and organized money, and organized money only wins when people aren't organized.” [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power in democracies stems from organized people and money, but money dominates when people are unorganized. **In simple terms:** Money wins when people aren't organized. Key Takeaway Organize citizens to balance influence. Themes politics power organization Mood cautious analytical Type critical inspirational When to use this quote - voter drives - grassroots campaigns - policy advocacy - community meetings Key Concepts economics civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens stay organized? - What safeguards limit money's influence? A Different Perspective Money can still outweigh organized effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Types](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-types-1041341/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-organized-1041344/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized/) [Organized Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized-money-1041343/) [Organized People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized-people-775075/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-organized-1041342/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Types](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/types/) [Wins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wins/) ## Related quotes > [The only countervailing force against organized money at the top, is organized people at the bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-only-countervailing-force-against-organized-money-at-the-top-is/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Organized money hates me--and I welcome their hatred!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/organized-money-hates-me-and-i-welcome-their-hatred/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/there-is-a-power-somewhere-so-organized-so-subtle-so-watchful-so/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [“There must be, not a balance of power but a community power; not organized rivalries but a organized, common peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/there-must-be-not-a-balance-of-power-but-a-community-power-not/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Khaddar has the greatest organizing power in it because it has itself to be organized and because it affects all India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/khaddar-has-the-greatest-organizing-power-in-it-because-it-has-itself/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [There is a power so organized, so subtle, so complete, and so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/there-is-a-power-so-organized-so-subtle-so-complete-and-so-pervasive/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [There must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-must-be-not-a-balance-of-power-but-a-community-of-power-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Power is organized effort, as has already been stated! Success is based upon power!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/power-is-organized-effort-as-has-already-been-stated-success-is-based/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action, and directed to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/knowledge-is-only-potential-power-it-becomes-power-only-when-and-if/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Organized people are just too lazy to look for things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/organized-people-are-just-too-lazy-to-look-for-things/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Perhaps it was because she had an accounting and finance background. These were usually neat, organized people, and Jones fit that description to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-stelljes/perhaps-it-was-because-she-had-an-accounting-and-finance-background/) [Roger Stelljes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-stelljes/) > [“Organized people are just too lazy to look for stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerri-nelson/organized-people-are-just-too-lazy-to-look-for-stuff/) [Kerri Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerri-nelson/) > [“But the truth is, there's little even the most organized people can do to prepare themselves for having children. They can buy all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/but-the-truth-is-there-s-little-even-the-most-organized-people-can-do/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [I am one of the most organized people I have ever met, and even with all my planning, I still feel like I'm constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hollis/i-am-one-of-the-most-organized-people-i-have-ever-met-and-even-with/) [Rachel Hollis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hollis/) > [Organized people are just too lazy to go looking for what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/organized-people-are-just-too-lazy-to-go-looking-for-what-they-want/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Benjamin Todd Jealous > [We are confident that the Supreme Court will soon see the direction that this country is headed and enshrine marriage as a constitutional right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/we-are-confident-that-the-supreme-court-will-soon-see-the-direction/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [The black community has been the foundation of the progressive community in this country for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/the-black-community-has-been-the-foundation-of-the-progressive/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [The difference between a child's aspiration and that family's situation, is the exact measurement of that family's frustrations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/the-difference-between-a-child-s-aspiration-and-that-family-s/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [Last century we needed lawyers; this century we need big, broad coalitions. When extremists decide to attack all our communities, they must hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/last-century-we-needed-lawyers-this-century-we-need-big-broad/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [There's sort of a persistent misperception that talking about race is black folk's burden. Ultimately, only men can end sexism, and only white people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/there-s-sort-of-a-persistent-misperception-that-talking-about-race-is/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [With all the other -isms that we deal with, that sort of nameless -ism that we have in too many of our hearts against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/with-all-the-other-isms-that-we-deal-with-that-sort-of-nameless-ism/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [We do not owe allegiance to any candidate because they share our party or our color, but because they share our principles and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/we-do-not-owe-allegiance-to-any-candidate-because-they-share-our/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) > [I often tell people I don't care whether they join the NAACP or some other group, but you better join something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/i-often-tell-people-i-don-t-care-whether-they-join-the-naacp-or-some/) [Benjamin Todd Jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) [Explore all 9 Benjamin Todd Jealous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/) ## 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. 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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": "In a democracy there are only two types of power: there's organized people and organized money, and organized money only wins when people aren't organized.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Todd Jealous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types-of-power-there-s-organized/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types-of-power-there-s-organized/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/benjamin-todd-jealous-45215_democracy_in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types_1689670.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/benjamin-todd-jealous-45215_democracy_in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types_1689670.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/benjamin-todd-jealous-45215_democracy_in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types_1689670.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In a democracy there are only two types of power: there's organized people and organized money, and…” — Benjamin Todd Jealous", "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 Todd Jealous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-todd-jealous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In a democracy there are only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types-of-power-there-s-organized/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-todd-jealous/in-a-democracy-there-are-only-two-types-of-power-there-s-organized/#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 } } ] } ```