--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy requires accountability and…" description: "\"“Democracy requires accountability and consent of the governed, which is only possible if citizens know what is being done in their name.”\" — Glenn Gre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/glenn-greenwald-1215_accountability_democracy-requires-accountability-and-co_1568972.jpg" --- # Democracy requires accountability and consent of the… ![“Democracy requires accountability and consent of the governed, which is only possible if citizens know what is being done in their name.” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/glenn-greenwald-1215_accountability_democracy-requires-accountability-and-co_1568972.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/glenn-greenwald-1215_accountability_democracy-requires-accountability-and-co_1568972.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/glenn-greenwald-1215_accountability_democracy-requires-accountability-and-co_1568972.jpg) > ““Democracy requires accountability and consent of the governed, which is only possible if citizens know what is being done in their name.”” [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy needs informed citizens who understand government actions to give consent and hold leaders accountable. **In simple terms:** Informed citizens enable true democracy. Key Takeaway Promote transparency and civic education. Themes democracy accountability citizen knowledge governance consent Mood critical inquisitive Type political educational When to use this quote - civic engagement - policy analysis - journalism Key Concepts political theory media literacy public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How to make government info accessible? - What tools improve civic awareness? A Different Perspective Information overload can hinder understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) [Citizens Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens-know-767767/) [Consent Governed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consent-governed-577329/) [Consent of the governed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consent-of-the-governed/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Requires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-requires-446364/) [Requires Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-accountability-595391/) ## Related quotes > [At the dawn of his administration, President Obama opined: 'A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency.' 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Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach/) > [“governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-of-independence/governments-are-instituted-among-men-deriving-their-just-powers-from/) [Declaration of Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-of-independence/) > [“above all, Locke’s transforming idea that government was established and maintained by the consent of the governed, in which all men had an equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-macgregor-burns/above-all-locke-s-transforming-idea-that-government-was-established/) [James MacGregor Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-macgregor-burns/) > [Democratic government requires the consent of the governed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/democratic-government-requires-the-consent-of-the-governed/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [“The authority of government, even such as I am willing to submit to— for I will cheerfully obey those who know and can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-authority-of-government-even-such-as-i-am-willing-to-submit-to/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even government by the consent of the governed, as in our own Constitution, must be limited in its power to act against its people;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/even-government-by-the-consent-of-the-governed-as-in-our-own/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [Government itself is founded upon the great doctrine of the consent of the governed, and has its cornerstone in the memorable principle that men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leland-stanford/government-itself-is-founded-upon-the-great-doctrine-of-the-consent/) [Leland Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leland-stanford/) > [Two hundred years ago, our Founding Fathers gave us a democracy. 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Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Governments rest on the consent of the governed, and that it is the right of the people to alter or abolish them at will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/governments-rest-on-the-consent-of-the-governed-and-that-it-is-the/) [Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/) > [The consent of the governed" is more than a safeguard against ignorant tyrants: it is an insurance against benevolent despots as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-consent-of-the-governed-is-more-than-a-safeguard-against-ignorant/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Even the most despotic government cannot stand except for the consent of the governed… Immediately the subject ceases to fear the despotic force, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/even-the-most-despotic-government-cannot-stand-except-for-the-consent/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The public needs to know the kinds of things a government does in its name, or the 'consent of the governed' is meaningless... The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-public-needs-to-know-the-kinds-of-things-a-government-does-in-its/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“My country again! Mr. Wilson, you have a country; but what country have I, or any one like me, born of slave mothers? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/my-country-again-mr-wilson-you-have-a-country-but-what-country-have-i/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) ## More by Glenn Greenwald > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“The evidence shows that assurances that surveillance is only targeted at those who “have done something wrong” should provide little comfort, since a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-evidence-shows-that-assurances-that-surveillance-is-only-targeted/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Only In America can a renowned and devoted terrorism supporter like Peter King be the arbiter of national security and treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/only-in-america-can-a-renowned-and-devoted-terrorism-supporter-like/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Above even our physical well-being, a central value is keeping the state out of the private realm—our “persons, houses, papers, and effects,” as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/above-even-our-physical-well-being-a-central-value-is-keeping-the/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Converting the Internet into a system of surveillance thus guts it of its core potential. Worse, it turns the Internet into a tool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/converting-the-internet-into-a-system-of-surveillance-thus-guts-it-of/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“the desire for privacy is shared by us all as an essential, not ancillary, part of what it means to be human. We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-desire-for-privacy-is-shared-by-us-all-as-an-essential-not/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Among other devices, the agency intercepts and tampers with routers and servers manufactured by Cisco to direct large amounts of Internet traffic back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/among-other-devices-the-agency-intercepts-and-tampers-with-routers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“NSA has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/nsa-has-increasingly-made-use-of-a-secret-technology-that-enables-it/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [A key purpose of journalism is to provide an adversarial check on those who wield the greatest power by shining a light on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-key-purpose-of-journalism-is-to-provide-an-adversarial-check-on/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“We all instinctively understand that the private realm is where we can act, think, speak, write, experiment, and choose how to be, away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/we-all-instinctively-understand-that-the-private-realm-is-where-we/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) [Explore all 270 Glenn Greenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More Accountability quotes > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. 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When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) [Edward Greenspon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-greenspon/) > [I come from a world where accountability and accomplishments matter, and where titles and rhetoric take a back seat to results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-come-from-a-world-where-accountability-and-accomplishments-matter/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-particular-principles-of-religion-are-a-subject-of-accountability/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) [Philip Alston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-alston/) > [Responsible Development shares many practices with XP but the roots are different. Responsible Development's values are honesty, transparency, accountability and responsibility. These lead me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/responsible-development-shares-many-practices-with-xp-but-the-roots/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bullard/opinion-is-really-the-lowest-form-of-human-knowledge-it-requires-no/) [Bill Bullard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bullard/) > [The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-american-people-deserve-accountability-over-wasteful-spending-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“There are many professions that require individuals, on an ongoing basis, to pass drug tests, physicals and psychological evaluations in order to keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/there-are-many-professions-that-require-individuals-on-an-ongoing/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) [Michael Soussan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-soussan/) [Browse all 860 Accountability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Democracy requires accountability and consent of the governed, which is only possible if citizens know what is being done in their name.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Greenwald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/democracy-requires-accountability-and-consent-of-the-governed-which/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accountability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/democracy-requires-accountability-and-consent-of-the-governed-which/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/glenn-greenwald-1215_accountability_democracy-requires-accountability-and-co_1568972.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/glenn-greenwald-1215_accountability_democracy-requires-accountability-and-co_1568972.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/glenn-greenwald-1215_accountability_democracy-requires-accountability-and-co_1568972.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy requires accountability and consent of the governed, which is only possible if citizens know what…” — Glenn Greenwald", "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": "Glenn Greenwald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Democracy requires accountability and consent of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/democracy-requires-accountability-and-consent-of-the-governed-which/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/democracy-requires-accountability-and-consent-of-the-governed-which/#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 } } ] } ```