Clear Quote by Bertrand de Jouvenel
“Democracy, then, in the centralizing, pattern-making, absolutist shape which we have given to it is, it is clear, the time of tyranny's incubation.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Ethics of Democracy, 1955
Centralized, absolutist democracy breeds tyranny by concentrating power and suppressing dissent.
In simple terms: Power concentration leads to tyranny.
Key Takeaway
Guard against centralization.
Themes
democracy
tyranny
power
centralization
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- government design
- civil society activism
- policy reform
- education on civic rights
Key Concepts
political theory
authoritarianism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can institutions prevent power abuse?
- What safeguards protect democratic health?
A Different Perspective
Even centralized systems can retain checks and balances if designed well.
![“We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a…” quote by John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c75/john-newton-6629_abundance_we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of_2907.jpg)
