--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Voting on things is democratic, yes - but…" description: "\"“Voting on things is democratic, yes - but not on deciding on whether or not people should be equal or have human rights. That isn't democracy, it is m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/christina-engela-8737_deciding_voting-on-things-is-democratic-yes-but-n_1938233.jpg" --- # Voting on things is democratic, yes - but not on deciding… ![“Voting on things is democratic, yes - but not on deciding on whether or not people should be equal or have human rights. That isn't democracy, it is mob rule. Everybody should be equal in a democracy - that is the nature of a democracy.” quote by Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/christina-engela-8737_deciding_voting-on-things-is-democratic-yes-but-n_1938233.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/christina-engela-8737_deciding_voting-on-things-is-democratic-yes-but-n_1938233.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5dd/christina-engela-8737_deciding_voting-on-things-is-democratic-yes-but-n_1938233.jpg) > ““Voting on things is democratic, yes - but not on deciding on whether or not people should be equal or have human rights. That isn't democracy, it is mob rule. Everybody should be equal in a democracy - that is the nature of a democracy.”” [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that democracy should guarantee equality and human rights, not merely majority rule, warning that true democracy is not mob rule. **In simple terms:** Democracy must protect equality and rights, not just majority decisions. Key Takeaway Ensure democratic systems safeguard equal rights for all. Themes democracy equality human rights political theory justice Mood critical concerned analytical Type political ethical When to use this quote - voting reforms - human rights advocacy - policy debates - civic education Key Concepts social contract theory civil liberties political ethics Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms can prevent mob rule in democratic societies? - How do we protect minority rights within majority decisions? A Different Perspective Pure majority rule can still marginalize minorities without safeguards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deciding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deciding/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal/) [Equal Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-democracy-3072701/) [Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Isn Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-democracy-3072700/) [Mob rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mob-rule/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Things Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-democratic-1906111/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) [Yes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yes/) ## Related quotes > [In a really equal democracy, every or any section would be represented, not disproportionately, but proportionately. ... Unless they are, there is not equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-a-really-equal-democracy-every-or-any-section-would-be-represented/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [There are two things which a democratic people will always find very difficult - to begin a war and to end it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/there-are-two-things-which-a-democratic-people-will-always-find-very/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [It is not democracy to send in billions of dollars to push regime change overseas. It isn't democracy to send in the NGOs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/it-is-not-democracy-to-send-in-billions-of-dollars-to-push-regime/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Few things are as democratic as a snowstorm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-williams/few-things-are-as-democratic-as-a-snowstorm/) [Bernard Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-williams/) > [One of the things the Democratic Party is trying to do is take the word off-year out of our lexicon, because we've tended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/one-of-the-things-the-democratic-party-is-trying-to-do-is-take-the/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [Greece isn't a democracy now it's run through a troika - three foreign officials that fly into Athens airport and tell the Greeks what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/greece-isn-t-a-democracy-now-it-s-run-through-a-troika-three-foreign/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [“Voting isn’t the most we can do, but it is the least. To have a democracy, you have to want one. Still,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/voting-isn-t-the-most-we-can-do-but-it-is-the-least-to-have-a/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“Ex ‘Fleet man?” “He was a full Commander, last I heard, sir.” “Interesting.” Falconer commented. “Get me his specs. If I have to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/ex-fleet-man-he-was-a-full-commander-last-i-heard-sir-interesting/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Mister Jordan?” Came the genteel, restrained voice of a more senior gentleman in the front of the canoe. “Yes, General?” “Shut up.” The General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/mister-jordan-came-the-genteel-restrained-voice-of-a-more-senior/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“People use democracy as a free-floating abstraction disconnected from reality. Democracy in and of itself is not necessarily good. Gang rape, after all, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/people-use-democracy-as-a-free-floating-abstraction-disconnected-from/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [In vain they seek to hide behind the flag and the Constitution. In their blindness they forget what the flag and the Constitution stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-vain-they-seek-to-hide-behind-the-flag-and-the-constitution-in/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [“People are gregarious by necessity. Since the days of the first cave dwellers, humans—hairless, weak, and helpless save for cunning—have survived by joining together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/people-are-gregarious-by-necessity-since-the-days-of-the-first-cave/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [The government will take the fairest of names, but the worst of realities--mob rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/the-government-will-take-the-fairest-of-names-but-the-worst-of/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [The common people feel themselves oppressed by the grasping of some, and their vanity is flattered by others. Fired with evil passions, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polybius/the-common-people-feel-themselves-oppressed-by-the-grasping-of-some/) [Polybius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polybius/) > [The vision that the founding fathers had of rule of law and equality before the law and no one above the law, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-vision-that-the-founding-fathers-had-of-rule-of-law-and-equality/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) ## More by Christina Engela > [“Joe!” he groaned, attempting to speak clearly. “Joe! Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Advocacy groups in the USA, as in other countries, may not be able to silence this hateful, cowardly and deceitful attack upon people’s humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/advocacy-groups-in-the-usa-as-in-other-countries-may-not-be-able-to/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Going to the extreme of inviting and welcoming people into your church in order to hear you condemn them or to know from your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/going-to-the-extreme-of-inviting-and-welcoming-people-into-your/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“There are always those who aspire to deprive minorities of their equality and civil rights. They NEVER sleep – they wait for an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/there-are-always-those-who-aspire-to-deprive-minorities-of-their/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Rise of Science Denialism The problem is, in a world where some people (even in the USA, where someone like Donald Trump was allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/rise-of-science-denialism-the-problem-is-in-a-world-where-some-people/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Ex ‘Fleet man?” “He was a full Commander, last I heard, sir.” “Interesting.” Falconer commented. “Get me his specs. If I have to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/ex-fleet-man-he-was-a-full-commander-last-i-heard-sir-interesting/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Mister Jordan?” Came the genteel, restrained voice of a more senior gentleman in the front of the canoe. “Yes, General?” “Shut up.” The General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/mister-jordan-came-the-genteel-restrained-voice-of-a-more-senior/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Anyways, that very same night there was a fight in the casino on B Deck. Some of the passengers got in a set-to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/anyways-that-very-same-night-there-was-a-fight-in-the-casino-on-b/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Something clicked inside Ortez mind, like the bolt of a door latch being released. Man’s first encounter with sentient alien life was a disaster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/something-clicked-inside-ortez-mind-like-the-bolt-of-a-door-latch/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Captain Harald Biscay rubbed his graying temples, staring deep in thought at the vast star field showing on the large navigation display on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/captain-harald-biscay-rubbed-his-graying-temples-staring-deep-in/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Meradinis! Turtle Island! It was a little corner of chaos! This was the scene the speeding black ship had left behind three days ago,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/meradinis-turtle-island-it-was-a-little-corner-of-chaos-this-was-the/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Now I don’t know how many people like to drive a Beetle at that kind of speed (on purpose) but I know I’d rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/now-i-don-t-know-how-many-people-like-to-drive-a-beetle-at-that-kind/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Damage report, sir?” Skotchdopole asked, climbing off his console into his seat. “To hell with that!” he roared, this was no accidental side-effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/damage-report-sir-skotchdopole-asked-climbing-off-his-console-into/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Denying the facts is what enables people to hate and to persecute marginalized and threatened minority groups. Labeling the advocacy, educational and informational initiatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/denying-the-facts-is-what-enables-people-to-hate-and-to-persecute/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“Some children are threatened with loss of privileges such as money, cell phones, cars or even eviction from home if they do not 'toe-the-line'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/some-children-are-threatened-with-loss-of-privileges-such-as-money/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) [Explore all 78 Christina Engela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) ## More Deciding quotes > [It's very important to me that I look good when I go out publicly. I like looking at my clothes rack in the morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-i-look-good-when-i-go-out-publicly-i/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) > [When a new idea comes our way, we must put it on our mental scales and weigh it carefully before deciding its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/when-a-new-idea-comes-our-way-we-must-put-it-on-our-mental-scales-and/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [The hardest thing is deciding what I should tell you and what not to. Well, anyway, I've got a while yet before you're old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-connor/the-hardest-thing-is-deciding-what-i-should-tell-you-and-what-not-to/) [Sarah Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-connor/) > [One of the hardest parts of life is deciding to walk away or try harder...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-life-is-deciding-to-walk-away-or-try/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My goal is to leave the producer with so many good takes, that he or she has a tough time deciding on the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-paulsen/my-goal-is-to-leave-the-producer-with-so-many-good-takes-that-he-or/) [Rob Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-paulsen/) > [The work of deciding cases goes on every day in hundreds of courts throughout the land. Any judge, one might suppose, would find it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-work-of-deciding-cases-goes-on-every-day-in-hundreds-of-courts/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [My faith is central to who I am as a human being, not just as an actor - so it informs every decision I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-mcdonough/my-faith-is-central-to-who-i-am-as-a-human-being-not-just-as-an-actor/) [Neal McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-mcdonough/) > [I was born with this love for music, and I say 'born with' because I don't really remember a day waking up and deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-hayes/i-was-born-with-this-love-for-music-and-i-say-born-with-because-i-don/) [Hunter Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-hayes/) > [Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/deciding-what-not-to-do-is-as-important-as-deciding-what-to-do/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Getting what you want means deciding what youll give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/getting-what-you-want-means-deciding-what-youll-give-up/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [It is easy to decide on what is wrong to wear to a party, such as deep-sea diving equipment or a pair of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-easy-to-decide-on-what-is-wrong-to-wear-to-a-party-such-as-deep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Faith isn't figuring out what we're able to do, it's deciding what we're going to do - even when we think we can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/faith-isn-t-figuring-out-what-we-re-able-to-do-it-s-deciding-what-we/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“We’re making our decisions … or so we think. 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I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hiaasen/when-i-m-deciding-to-read-a-book-i-never-open-to-the-first-chapter/) [Carl Hiaasen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hiaasen/) [Browse all 259 Deciding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deciding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Voting on things is democratic, yes - but not on deciding on whether or not people should be equal or have human rights. That isn't democracy, it is mob rule. 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