---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of all the principles which constitute…"
description: "\"Of all the principles which constitute Liberal Democracy, internationalism is the clearest, the most distinctive, and the one with the longest history...."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/charles-kennedy-2998_democracy_of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-l_1915423.png"
---

#  Of all the principles which constitute Liberal Democracy…

![“Of all the principles which constitute Liberal Democracy, internationalism is the clearest, the most distinctive, and the one with the longest history.” quote by Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/charles-kennedy-2998_democracy_of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-l_1915423.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/charles-kennedy-2998_democracy_of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-l_1915423.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/charles-kennedy-2998_democracy_of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-l_1915423.png)

> “Of all the principles which constitute Liberal Democracy, internationalism is the clearest, the most distinctive, and the one with the longest history.”

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

## About This Quote

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

Internationalism defines liberal democracy by emphasizing global cooperation and shared values across nations.

**In simple terms:** Internationalism is key to liberal democracy.

Key Takeaway

Promote global cooperation.

Themes

democracy internationalism political theory

Mood

optimistic thoughtful

Type

political analytical

When to use this quote

- foreign policy
- NGO work
- multinational corporations
- academic research
- public diplomacy

Key Concepts

global governance human rights interdependence

Questions to Reflect On

- How does internationalism affect national sovereignty?
- What policies best balance global and local interests?

A Different Perspective

Internationalism can clash with nationalist sentiments.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Clearest Distinctive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clearest-distinctive-2909774/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Internationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-internationalism-2909773/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Internationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internationalism/) [Internationalism Clearest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internationalism-clearest-2909772/) [Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal/) [Liberal democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-democracy/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/)

## Related quotes

> [I did not dwell on the issue of Europe during either the 2001 or the 2005 campaigns - despite it being a pivotal personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/i-did-not-dwell-on-the-issue-of-europe-during-either-the-2001-or-the/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Liberal Democracy is all about extending choice. Give people the option to decide their retirement age, and you immediately extend their freedom in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/liberal-democracy-is-all-about-extending-choice-give-people-the/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [In a functioning liberal democracy, we cannot normalize political violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-ngo/in-a-functioning-liberal-democracy-we-cannot-normalize-political/)

[Andy Ngo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-ngo/)

> [I definitely think America should seek to lead and shape the world and make it safe for liberal democracy. I just don't think military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/i-definitely-think-america-should-seek-to-lead-and-shape-the-world/)

[Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/)

> [Ultimately, it's not our responsibility to turn Afghanistan into a 21st-century, vibrant, economic, liberal democracy with a little L. Our responsibility is to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-mcsally/ultimately-it-s-not-our-responsibility-to-turn-afghanistan-into-a/)

[Martha McSally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-mcsally/)

> [Only together do Europe and the U.S. stand a chance of keeping liberal democracy as the central doctrine for organizing world affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-ponta/only-together-do-europe-and-the-u-s-stand-a-chance-of-keeping-liberal/)

[Victor Ponta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-ponta/)

> [Liberal democracy must finally become the vital element of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-heinemann/liberal-democracy-must-finally-become-the-vital-element-of-our-society/)

[Gustav Heinemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-heinemann/)

> [The rise of populism has steadily coalesced movements of millions of people around its divisive us-against-them rhetoric, motivating so many more people to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/the-rise-of-populism-has-steadily-coalesced-movements-of-millions-of/)

[Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/)

> [Liberal democracy has endured because its institutions are designed for handling morally hazardous forms of coercive power. It puts the question of how far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/liberal-democracy-has-endured-because-its-institutions-are-designed/)

[Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/)

> [“Liberal democracy was saved only by nuclear weapons.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/liberal-democracy-was-saved-only-by-nuclear-weapons/)

[Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/)

> [Not everything is so bad... Whichever way you look at it, we feel that we can face the future when the liberal, democracy-based world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/not-everything-is-so-bad-whichever-way-you-look-at-it-we-feel-that-we/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [To try to turn Iraq into a liberal democracy is absolutely crazy. Islam has no understanding of the separation between church and state because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/to-try-to-turn-iraq-into-a-liberal-democracy-is-absolutely-crazy/)

[Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/)

> [People who come out of the liberal arts don't have an understanding of science and technology, and the people in science and technology have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/people-who-come-out-of-the-liberal-arts-don-t-have-an-understanding/)

[Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/)

> [We need a liberal agenda in which government resists the temptation to interfere in the lives of individuals but is equally determined to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/we-need-a-liberal-agenda-in-which-government-resists-the-temptation/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Three simple words - freedom, justice and honesty. These sum up what the Liberal Democrats stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/three-simple-words-freedom-justice-and-honesty-these-sum-up-what-the/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

## More by Charles Kennedy

> [Politics means facing up to hard choices and facing down prejudice, short-termism, the easy, tempting court of knee-jerk public reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/politics-means-facing-up-to-hard-choices-and-facing-down-prejudice/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [It would be a tragedy if the remarkable international coalition against terrorism, successfully marshalled in the aftermath of 11 September, were to fragment over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/it-would-be-a-tragedy-if-the-remarkable-international-coalition/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Speaking to numerous teachers and nurses, I am consistently struck by the sense of mission they have about their work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/speaking-to-numerous-teachers-and-nurses-i-am-consistently-struck-by/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Terror can never be defeated by force alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/terror-can-never-be-defeated-by-force-alone/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Three simple words - freedom, justice and honesty. These sum up what the Liberal Democrats stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/three-simple-words-freedom-justice-and-honesty-these-sum-up-what-the/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [I happen to consider myself a Highlander even before a Scot; I am proud to be British yet feel comfortable as a European citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/i-happen-to-consider-myself-a-highlander-even-before-a-scot-i-am/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Some ministers are fond of talking about a return to Victorian values. We must realise that those Victorian values are being expressed by some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/some-ministers-are-fond-of-talking-about-a-return-to-victorian-values/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [I have never once been persuaded as to the causal link between the Iraqi regime, al-Qaeda and September 11. I do believe the impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/i-have-never-once-been-persuaded-as-to-the-causal-link-between-the/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [I'm not someone who dwells upon past events, taking the view that life is too short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/i-m-not-someone-who-dwells-upon-past-events-taking-the-view-that-life/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Ours is a stable country. Ours is a sensible country. And ours is a fundamentally decent country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/ours-is-a-stable-country-ours-is-a-sensible-country-and-ours-is-a/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Yes, you need substance in politics - but I think your style also says something about how you arrive at some of your conclusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/yes-you-need-substance-in-politics-but-i-think-your-style-also-says/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [We need less theoretical debate and more practical application and acknowledgment of what Europe can and does do so that it is brought home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/we-need-less-theoretical-debate-and-more-practical-application-and/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [We need a liberal agenda in which government resists the temptation to interfere in the lives of individuals but is equally determined to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/we-need-a-liberal-agenda-in-which-government-resists-the-temptation/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [I couldn't imagine a day without music. It relaxes and stimulates me in equal measure and I hate the sound of silence - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/i-couldn-t-imagine-a-day-without-music-it-relaxes-and-stimulates-me/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Soon after the 1997 election, I argued that there was no inverse law of political gravity which said that everything which went down had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/soon-after-the-1997-election-i-argued-that-there-was-no-inverse-law/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

[Explore all 143 Charles Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

## 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": "Of all the principles which constitute Liberal Democracy, internationalism is the clearest, the most distinctive, and the one with the longest history.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Charles Kennedy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-liberal-democracy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Democracy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-liberal-democracy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/charles-kennedy-2998_democracy_of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-l_1915423.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/charles-kennedy-2998_democracy_of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-l_1915423.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/charles-kennedy-2998_democracy_of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-l_1915423.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Of all the principles which constitute Liberal Democracy, internationalism is the clearest, the most…” — Charles Kennedy",
                "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": "Charles Kennedy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Of all the principles which constitute...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-liberal-democracy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/of-all-the-principles-which-constitute-liberal-democracy/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
