Criteria Quote by George Aiken
“Lincoln's reference to government of the people, by the people, for the people is a generally satisfactory definition of democracy. I say generally because when it comes to fair and workable details, democracy fails to completely meet the criteria enunciated by Lincoln by a rather wide margin.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public address, 1960
Lincoln’s definition of democracy is idealistic; practical implementation often falls short.
In simple terms: Democracy ideal vs. reality.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of democratic systems.
Themes
politics
democracy
idealism
Mood
critical
hopeful
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- voting
- policy making
- civic education
- activism
Key Concepts
Political theory
civic engagement
Questions to Reflect On
- How can citizens improve democratic practice?
- What reforms address systemic gaps?
A Different Perspective
Democracy can be manipulated, undermining its ideals.
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
