--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is easy to fall into the trap of…" description: "\"It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that democracy will improve the function of policy.\" — David Harsanyi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/david-harsanyi-11003_believing_it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-beli_3149405.png" --- # It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that… ![“It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that democracy will improve the function of policy.” quote by David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/david-harsanyi-11003_believing_it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-beli_3149405.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/david-harsanyi-11003_believing_it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-beli_3149405.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/david-harsanyi-11003_believing_it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-beli_3149405.png) > “It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that democracy will improve the function of policy.” [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that democracy alone does not guarantee better policy outcomes; other factors matter. **In simple terms:** Democracy isn’t a cure‑all for policy. Key Takeaway Don’t rely solely on democracy for good policy. Themes politics policy democracy Mood skeptical inquisitive Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative reform - civic education - policy analysis - activism Key Concepts institutional design public choice governance Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms improve policy beyond voting? - How can citizens influence policy quality? A Different Perspective Democratic processes can be flawed without effective institutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing/) [Believing Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-democracy-5168213/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Improve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-improve-5647073/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Improve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improve/) [Improve Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improve-function-5647074/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [Trap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trap/) [Trap Believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trap-believing-282588/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [It's easy to fall into the trap of believing all the hype that's written about you... Who knows? In a couple of years, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-s-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-all-the-hype-that-s/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I grew up in San Francisco. And so I'm informed in a certain kind of way about, you know, believing in democracy and believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/i-grew-up-in-san-francisco-and-so-i-m-informed-in-a-certain-kind-of/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [It's really easy to fall into the trap of believing that what we do is more important than what we are. Of course, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/it-s-really-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-what-we-do/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Awareness of circumstances may well prepare you to avoid falling prey to the trap of believing that you're not capable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/awareness-of-circumstances-may-well-prepare-you-to-avoid-falling-prey/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [Don't fall into the trap of believing so deeply in your own ideology that you cannot even see the flaws in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/don-t-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-so-deeply-in-your-own-ideology/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [You're falling into the trap of believing everything that's in the political handbook, and at the top of the list it says you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-re-falling-into-the-trap-of-believing-everything-that-s-in-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The conservative movement is about government playing its important yet limited role, and about not falling into the trap of believing that every problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-conservative-movement-is-about-government-playing-its-important/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [When I was about 7 years old, I built a leprechaun trap out of a cardboard box, a biscuit tin and some toilet paper tubes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/when-i-was-about-7-years-old-i-built-a-leprechaun-trap-out-of-a/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [It's an honor for me to represent urban music, reggaeton, trap and hip-hop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bad-bunny/it-s-an-honor-for-me-to-represent-urban-music-reggaeton-trap-and-hip/) [Bad Bunny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bad-bunny/) > [“A piece of writing is a trap,” he said cheerily, “and the best kind. A book, you see, is the only kind of trap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-williams/a-piece-of-writing-is-a-trap-he-said-cheerily-and-the-best-kind-a/) [Tad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-williams/) > [“Offence is like muddy soil; when trapped underfoot, it resists rapid progress. Don't trap offences under your mind, else you resist change! Jesus said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/offence-is-like-muddy-soil-when-trapped-underfoot-it-resists-rapid/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [As you get older, I have seen it a lot... fighting among siblings. The reason is usually money or spouses. But my kids don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/as-you-get-older-i-have-seen-it-a-lot-fighting-among-siblings-the/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [“When a naked man shows up on your doorstep with a bear trap clamped around his ankle, it's best just to do what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/when-a-naked-man-shows-up-on-your-doorstep-with-a-bear-trap-clamped/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) > [Having to be different is the same trap as having to be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/having-to-be-different-is-the-same-trap-as-having-to-be-the-same/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [There is no trap so deadly as the trap you set for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/there-is-no-trap-so-deadly-as-the-trap-you-set-for-yourself/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) ## More by David Harsanyi > [Modern Democrats aren't the first political party to abuse power - far from it. Obama isn'€™t the first president to abuse executive power -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/modern-democrats-aren-t-the-first-political-party-to-abuse-power-far/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [I don't think that voters should be fixated on public policy. In a healthy republic, they wouldn't have to worry every waking hour about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/i-don-t-think-that-voters-should-be-fixated-on-public-policy-in-a/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Washington has a mysterious power to turn perfectly reasonable, wholesome, well-meaning human beings into equivocating crooked gasbags.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/washington-has-a-mysterious-power-to-turn-perfectly-reasonable/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [A true fascist is anyone who wants to take away my air conditioning or force me to ride a bike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/a-true-fascist-is-anyone-who-wants-to-take-away-my-air-conditioning/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [A religion without rules or God isn't sustainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/a-religion-without-rules-or-god-isn-t-sustainable/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [I believe that the war on drugs is a tragically misplaced use of resources - an immoral venture that produces far more suffering than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/i-believe-that-the-war-on-drugs-is-a-tragically-misplaced-use-of/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [It would probably strike the average politician as absurd to argue that the best way to fix the economy is to stop trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-would-probably-strike-the-average-politician-as-absurd-to-argue/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [It's difficult for democracy to function properly under the most favorable circumstances, but it has no chance at all when millions of voters are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-s-difficult-for-democracy-to-function-properly-under-the-most/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [You don't have to get things done all the time to be productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/you-don-t-have-to-get-things-done-all-the-time-to-be-productive/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [The realization that you can't predict the future -- and mold it -- could only come as a shock to an academic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/the-realization-that-you-can-t-predict-the-future-and-mold-it-could/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [You'll often hear the left lecture about the importance of dissent in a free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/you-ll-often-hear-the-left-lecture-about-the-importance-of-dissent-in/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [The deepest mystery of Twitter is why celebrities and elected officials take part. After all, we all know they can't write their own lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/the-deepest-mystery-of-twitter-is-why-celebrities-and-elected/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Biblical movies need not sermonize, just be honest to the foundational story. As powerful as the message is for people of faith, it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/biblical-movies-need-not-sermonize-just-be-honest-to-the-foundational/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [The crusade to convince us that global warming can only be dealt with by wealth destruction and higher energy prices began with an effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/the-crusade-to-convince-us-that-global-warming-can-only-be-dealt-with/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Twitter's popularity and usefulness are mysteries to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/twitter-s-popularity-and-usefulness-are-mysteries-to-me/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) [Explore all 62 David Harsanyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) ## More Believing quotes > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [“Believing is not the same as knowing. Believing is second-hand knowledge, whereas knowing is first-hand experience. When your action comes from a level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-kanna/believing-is-not-the-same-as-knowing-believing-is-second-hand/) [Yogi Kanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-kanna/) > [Things aren't always as they appear. I've been believing things to be a certain way because I want them to be that way. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-dennen/things-aren-t-always-as-they-appear-i-ve-been-believing-things-to-be/) [Brett Dennen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-dennen/) > [You cannot will yourself to be happy while believing that you have no right to happiness, or that you are unworthy of it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/you-cannot-will-yourself-to-be-happy-while-believing-that-you-have-no/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [It's never late to go after your dreams. All it takes is believing and hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitor-belfort/it-s-never-late-to-go-after-your-dreams-all-it-takes-is-believing-and/) [Vitor Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vitor-belfort/) > [“There are five important things for living a successful and fulfilling life: never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/there-are-five-important-things-for-living-a-successful-and/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [Start believing that things are going to change for the better. Not because you deserve it, but simply because God loves you that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-believing-that-things-are-going-to-change-for-the-better-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never stopped believing in my ability or what I was doing. I want to pass that sense of faith and perseverance on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vantile-whitfield/i-never-stopped-believing-in-my-ability-or-what-i-was-doing-i-want-to/) [Vantile Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vantile-whitfield/) > [“It’s not easy to believe in anything when your whole world turns upside down. The main thing is to keep believing in yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-jayne-ashford/it-s-not-easy-to-believe-in-anything-when-your-whole-world-turns/) [Lindsay Jayne Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-jayne-ashford/) > [Stop expecting, Start believing¦ If you truly love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-expecting-start-believing-if-you-truly-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This idea that once you get into politics... you are now signed up for lifelong duty being in elective office, makes a fundamental error…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-gonzalez/this-idea-that-once-you-get-into-politics-you-are-now-signed-up-for/) [Matt Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-gonzalez/) > [Chairman Mao not only introduced Pinyin in China, but also simplified half the Chinese characters, believing that fewer strokes would enable more people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tang/chairman-mao-not-only-introduced-pinyin-in-china-but-also-simplified/) [David Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tang/) > [It's one thing believing in yourself, it's another thing having other people believe in you, and that is the greatest gift, honestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-magnussen/it-s-one-thing-believing-in-yourself-it-s-another-thing-having-other/) [Billy Magnussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-magnussen/) > [We have been deceived into believing prayer is all about persuading God to release His power. We no longer need to beg or plead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/we-have-been-deceived-into-believing-prayer-is-all-about-persuading/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) [Browse all 1,471 Believing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that democracy will improve the function of policy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Harsanyi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-democracy-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-democracy-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/david-harsanyi-11003_believing_it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-beli_3149405.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/david-harsanyi-11003_believing_it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-beli_3149405.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/david-harsanyi-11003_believing_it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-beli_3149405.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that democracy will improve the function of policy.” — David Harsanyi", "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": "David Harsanyi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is easy to fall into...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-democracy-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-is-easy-to-fall-into-the-trap-of-believing-that-democracy-will/#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 } } ] } ```