--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that…" description: "\"Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.\" — E. B. White" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/e-b-white-1448_democracy_democracy-is-the-recurrent-suspicion-tha_802320.png" --- # Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half… ![“Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.” quote by E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/e-b-white-1448_democracy_democracy-is-the-recurrent-suspicion-tha_802320.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/e-b-white-1448_democracy_democracy-is-the-recurrent-suspicion-tha_802320.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/e-b-white-1448_democracy_democracy-is-the-recurrent-suspicion-tha_802320.png) > “Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.” [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy works because most people are right more often than not, but we must remain skeptical of majority rule. **In simple terms:** Majorities are often right, but doubt is healthy. Key Takeaway Balance trust in the majority with critical thinking. Themes democracy skepticism majority rule critical thinking Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public debate - policy making - education curricula Key Concepts philosophy political theory civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - When should we question majority decisions? - How can we improve collective judgment? A Different Perspective Majority opinions can be misinformed; vigilance is required. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Suspicion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspicion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [That whole Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thing - at least half the people in there don't have a place in any kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/that-whole-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-thing-at-least-half-the-people/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [Remember, half the people you know are below average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-the-cable-guy/remember-half-the-people-you-know-are-below-average/) [Larry the Cable Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-the-cable-guy/) > [No country can get ahead when it leaves half of its people behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanne-verveer/no-country-can-get-ahead-when-it-leaves-half-of-its-people-behind/) [Melanne Verveer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanne-verveer/) > [Half of the people lie with their lips; the other half with their tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/half-of-the-people-lie-with-their-lips-the-other-half-with-their-tears/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Of course I'm sure half the people there hate me and half the people like me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/of-course-i-m-sure-half-the-people-there-hate-me-and-half-the-people/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I probably tweet every other day, which I know isn't half as much as some people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-monteith/i-probably-tweet-every-other-day-which-i-know-isn-t-half-as-much-as/) [Cory Monteith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-monteith/) > [the car, by bisecting the human outline, diminishes it, producing a race of half-people in a motion not of their own making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-mannes/the-car-by-bisecting-the-human-outline-diminishes-it-producing-a-race/) [Marya Mannes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-mannes/) > [God save us from half the people who think they're doing God's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-winchester/god-save-us-from-half-the-people-who-think-they-re-doing-god-s-work/) [Dean Winchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-winchester/) > [The usual cause of evil in the world is that at any given time half the people in the world are awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-rusk/the-usual-cause-of-evil-in-the-world-is-that-at-any-given-time-half/) [Dean Rusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-rusk/) > [Half the people you know are below average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/half-the-people-you-know-are-below-average/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm surprised that I get to be in the same room with half the people that I'm working with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-m-surprised-that-i-get-to-be-in-the-same-room-with-half-the-people/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [Every time you blow the whistle, half the people are going to be mad at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cuccinelli/every-time-you-blow-the-whistle-half-the-people-are-going-to-be-mad/) [Ken Cuccinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cuccinelli/) > [“The nation is divided, roughly half-and-half, between people who instinctively resent the Nanny State, and those who instinctively long for its ministrations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-warren/the-nation-is-divided-roughly-half-and-half-between-people-who/) David Warren > [No society can thrive when half its people are left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/no-society-can-thrive-when-half-its-people-are-left-behind/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“It’s best to keep your troubles pretty much to yourself, because half the people you tell them to won’t give a damn, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-novak/it-s-best-to-keep-your-troubles-pretty-much-to-yourself-because-half/) [Brenda Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-novak/) ## More by E. 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White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) > [The bonus is really one of the great give-aways in business enterprise. It is the annual salve applied to the conscience of the rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/the-bonus-is-really-one-of-the-great-give-aways-in-business/) [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) > [There's no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/there-s-no-limit-to-how-complicated-things-can-get-on-account-of-one/) [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) > [The critic leaves at curtain fall To find, in starting to review it, He scarcely saw the play at all For starting to review…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/the-critic-leaves-at-curtain-fall-to-find-in-starting-to-review-it-he/) [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) [Explore all 240 E. B. White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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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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