--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Somehow we must be able to show people…" description: "\"Somehow we must be able to show people that democracy is not about words, but action.\" — Eleanor Roosevelt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/eleanor-roosevelt-381_able_somehow-we-must-be-able-to-show-people-t_666315.jpg" --- # Somehow we must be able to show people that democracy is… ![“Somehow we must be able to show people that democracy is not about words, but action.” quote by Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/eleanor-roosevelt-381_able_somehow-we-must-be-able-to-show-people-t_666315.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/eleanor-roosevelt-381_able_somehow-we-must-be-able-to-show-people-t_666315.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/eleanor-roosevelt-381_able_somehow-we-must-be-able-to-show-people-t_666315.jpg) > “Somehow we must be able to show people that democracy is not about words, but action.” [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy requires active participation, not just rhetoric; actions define it. **In simple terms:** Democracy is about deeds, not words. Key Takeaway Engage actively in civic duties. Themes civic engagement politics action Mood inspirational motivational Type political civic When to use this quote - voting - community service - public debate - policy advocacy Key Concepts democracy citizenship social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take today? - How do you measure democratic health? A Different Perspective Action alone may not change systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-words-5299482/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-democracy-660269/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Words Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-action-477858/) ## Related quotes > [Actions speak louder than words . So, every action I do describe more than my words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actions-speak-louder-than-words-so-every-action-i-do-describe-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Words without action is like a heart with no beat... Useless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-without-action-is-like-a-heart-with-no-beat-useless/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Words and action in movies are the spirit or the mind. And these days the body is almost completely forgotten. In the beginning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/words-and-action-in-movies-are-the-spirit-or-the-mind-and-these-days/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [I didn't want to be a man of words but of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bongino/i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-man-of-words-but-of-action/) [Dan Bongino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bongino/) > [“as someone who thought that knowledge was more important than practice, I found these words to be a call to action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/as-someone-who-thought-that-knowledge-was-more-important-than/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Words being put into action are forever heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gee-linder/words-being-put-into-action-are-forever-heard/) [Gee Linder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gee-linder/) > [“Writing is more than typing words: Any action that is instrumental in completing a writing project counts as writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-j-silvia/writing-is-more-than-typing-words-any-action-that-is-instrumental-in/) [Paul J. Silvia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-j-silvia/) > [“I am playful in words but sincere in action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suman-pokhrel/i-am-playful-in-words-but-sincere-in-action/) [Suman Pokhrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suman-pokhrel/) > [Say it with words. Show it with action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-kaufman/say-it-with-words-show-it-with-action/) [Ron Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-kaufman/) > [It's not just words. Action expresses priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/it-s-not-just-words-action-expresses-priorities/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [What is it that stands higher than words? Action. What is it that stands higher than action? Silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/what-is-it-that-stands-higher-than-words-action-what-is-it-that/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [“Love can never explain in words, but can show in action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jervin-balmedino/love-can-never-explain-in-words-but-can-show-in-action/) [Jervin Balmedino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jervin-balmedino/) > [“Most people talk, but say nothing. That’s ok because nobody is listening anyway. Let today be the day you stop with words and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/most-people-talk-but-say-nothing-that-s-ok-because-nobody-is/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Words without action mean nothing. I’ll show you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/words-without-action-mean-nothing-i-ll-show-you/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [Words without action are like wheels without traction. It is how you live that counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-thompson/words-without-action-are-like-wheels-without-traction-it-is-how-you/) [Geoff Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-thompson/) ## More by Eleanor Roosevelt > [My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/my-experience-has-been-that-work-is-almost-the-best-way-to-pull/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [experience should teach us that it is always the unexpected that does occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/experience-should-teach-us-that-it-is-always-the-unexpected-that-does/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [To be mature you have to realize what you value most... Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one's own values is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/to-be-mature-you-have-to-realize-what-you-value-most-not-to-arrive-at/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I'm enormously interested in freedom and retaining the right to have whatever economy we want and to shape it as we want and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-m-enormously-interested-in-freedom-and-retaining-the-right-to-have/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-destiny-of-human-rights-is-in-the-hands-of-all-our-citizens-in/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [You can never really live anyone else's life, not even your child's. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/you-can-never-really-live-anyone-else-s-life-not-even-your-child-s/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“One of the things I believe most intensely is that every child’s why should be answered with care—and with respect. If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-things-i-believe-most-intensely-is-that-every-child-s-why/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [What we must learn to do is to create unbreakable bonds between the sciences and the humanities. We cannot procrastinate. The world of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/what-we-must-learn-to-do-is-to-create-unbreakable-bonds-between-the/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/never-allow-a-person-to-tell-you-no-who-doesn-t-have-the-power-to-say/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [All of us ... should remember that no amount of flag-waving, pledging allegiance, or fervent singing of the national anthem is evidence that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/all-of-us-should-remember-that-no-amount-of-flag-waving-pledging/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Some friends leave footprints in your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/some-friends-leave-footprints-in-your-heart/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [If we want a free and peaceful world, if we want to make the deserts bloom and man grow to greater dignity as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-we-want-a-free-and-peaceful-world-if-we-want-to-make-the-deserts/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) [Explore all 612 Eleanor Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. 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