--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the first principle of democracy…" description: "\"“This is the first principle of democracy: that the essential things in men are the things they hold in common, not the things they hold separately. An..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/g-k-chesterton-224_falling-in-love_this-is-the-first-principle-of-democracy_1109580.jpg" --- # This is the first principle of democracy: that the… ![“This is the first principle of democracy: that the essential things in men are the things they hold in common, not the things they hold separately. And the second principle is merely this: that the political instinct or desire is one of these things which they hold in common. Falling in love is…” quote by G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/g-k-chesterton-224_falling-in-love_this-is-the-first-principle-of-democracy_1109580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/g-k-chesterton-224_falling-in-love_this-is-the-first-principle-of-democracy_1109580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/g-k-chesterton-224_falling-in-love_this-is-the-first-principle-of-democracy_1109580.jpg) > ““This is the first principle of democracy: that the essential things in men are the things they hold in common, not the things they hold separately. And the second principle is merely this: that the political instinct or desire is one of these things which they hold in common. Falling in love is more poetical than dropping into poetry. The democratic contention is that government ... is a thing like falling in love, and not a thing like dropping into poetry. It is not something analogous to playing the church organ, painting on vellum,..., being Astronomer Royal, and so on. For these things we do not wish a man to do at all unless he does them well. It is, on the contrary, a thing analogous to writing one's own love-letters or blowing one's own nose. These things we want a man to do for himself, even if he does them badly. … In short, the democratic faith is this: that the most terribly important things must be left to ordinary men themselves--the mating of the sexes, the rearing of the young, the laws of the state. This is democracy; and in this I have always believed. ”” [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) ## 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 best when ordinary people handle fundamental life tasks rather than specialists. **In simple terms:** Ordinary people should manage basic life matters. Key Takeaway Trust everyday people with essential duties. Themes democracy equality responsibility human nature Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - parenting - community decision‑making - local governance - public services Key Concepts political philosophy social contract common good Questions to Reflect On - Who decides which tasks truly need expertise? - How can we balance expertise with popular involvement? A Different Perspective Specialists may outperform laypeople in complex technical fields. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-believed-371695/) [Democratic Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-faith-1268415/) [Falling in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-democratic-2948652/) [Political Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-instinct-2948653/) [Principle Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principle-democracy-1111041/) ## Related quotes > [“In short, the democratic faith is this: that the most terribly important things must be left to ordinary men themselves—the mating of the sexes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/in-short-the-democratic-faith-is-this-that-the-most-terribly/) [G.K. 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In the end, it is loyalty to the nation. We Central Europeans know from historical experience that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-orban/what-is-the-basic-principle-of-democracy-in-the-end-it-is-loyalty-to/) [Viktor Orban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-orban/) > [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/) > [I do think that even if the average person doesn't care, it IS a big deal. Like, it's been a foundational principle of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/i-do-think-that-even-if-the-average-person-doesn-t-care-it-is-a-big/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [The principle of democracy is a recognition of the sovereign, inalienable rights of man as a gift from God, the Source of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-principle-of-democracy-is-a-recognition-of-the-sovereign/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“In a democracy, there is no check against despotism, because the principle of democracy is supposed to be itself a check. But it guarantees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/in-a-democracy-there-is-no-check-against-despotism-because-the/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [The primal principle of democracy is the worth and dignity of the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/the-primal-principle-of-democracy-is-the-worth-and-dignity-of-the/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [The principle of democracy is all about delegation of power by the vast majority of citizens through a few chosen representatives chosen on merit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-r-narayana-murthy/the-principle-of-democracy-is-all-about-delegation-of-power-by-the/) [N. R. Narayana Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-r-narayana-murthy/) ## More by G.K. Chesterton > [“I never use paradox. The statements I make are wearisome and obvious common sense. I have even been driven to the tedium of reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-never-use-paradox-the-statements-i-make-are-wearisome-and-obvious/) [G.K. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) [Explore all 853 G.K. Chesterton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) ## More Falling in love quotes > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [I'm just a girl trying to find a way in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-just-a-girl-trying-to-find-a-way-in-this-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is like falling in love. If you can notice, the grass is greener, the sky is bluer and the air is fresher. 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When I got nominated for Diary of a Mad Housewife, I didn't think, 'Aah, now I'll get more money.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-snodgress/my-life-always-came-first-when-i-got-nominated-for-diary-of-a-mad/) [Carrie Snodgress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-snodgress/) > [“Falling in love is not the problem; hitting your head on the way down is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/falling-in-love-is-not-the-problem-hitting-your-head-on-the-way-down/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [We are not too close in distance, we are not too near in mils. but text can touch our hearts and thoughts can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/we-are-not-too-close-in-distance-we-are-not-too-near-in-mils-but-text/) [Sharlene05](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene05/) > [Even people who can't communicate can fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaejoong/even-people-who-can-t-communicate-can-fall-in-love/) [Jaejoong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaejoong/) > [“What?" 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Go out, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/consider-developing-your-whole-self-with-the-same-raw-focus-and/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [Waiters will always pee in soup, people will always fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/waiters-will-always-pee-in-soup-people-will-always-fall-in-love/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [A girl who would fall in love so easily or want a man to love her so easily would probably get over it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-girl-who-would-fall-in-love-so-easily-or-want-a-man-to-love-her-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 4,072 Falling in love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling-in-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is the first principle of democracy: that the essential things in men are the things they hold in common, not the things they hold separately. 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