--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is not perfect." description: "\"Democracy is not perfect.\" — Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada-1977_democracy_democracy-is-not-perfect-2238121_2238121.jpg" --- # Democracy is not perfect. ![“Democracy is not perfect.” quote by Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada-1977_democracy_democracy-is-not-perfect-2238121_2238121.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada-1977_democracy_democracy-is-not-perfect-2238121_2238121.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada-1977_democracy_democracy-is-not-perfect-2238121_2238121.jpg) > “Democracy is not perfect.” [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy has flaws and imperfections, but it remains a system striving for collective governance. **In simple terms:** Democracy isn’t perfect. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection while working to improve governance. Themes politics imperfection collective decision‑making citizen responsibility Mood critical hopeful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - civic education - reform movements Key Concepts democratic theory political realism Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens improve democratic processes? - What are the limits of democratic reform? A Different Perspective Idealistic expectations can lead to disillusionment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ## Related quotes > [I've always tried to explain democracy is not perfect. But it gives you a chance to shape your own destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/i-ve-always-tried-to-explain-democracy-is-not-perfect-but-it-gives/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put up a wall to keep our people in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/freedom-has-many-difficulties-and-democracy-is-not-perfect-but-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-s-churchill/many-forms-of-government-have-been-tried-and-will-be-tried-in-this-2/) [Winston S. Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-s-churchill/) > [“Mobocracy in democracy is a perfect ochlocracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/mobocracy-in-democracy-is-a-perfect-ochlocracy/) Anyaele Sam Chiyson > [Democracy may not be perfect, but at least I don't have to build a wall to keep my people in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/democracy-may-not-be-perfect-but-at-least-i-don-t-have-to-build-a/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect. But we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/freedom-has-many-difficulties-and-democracy-is-not-perfect-but-we-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have no illusions about our elected politicians. Pakistani democracy is anything but perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asma-jahangir/i-have-no-illusions-about-our-elected-politicians-pakistani-democracy/) [Asma Jahangir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asma-jahangir/) > [Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/many-forms-of-government-have-been-tried-and-will-be-tried-in-this/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I'm a human being. I'm not perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/i-m-a-human-being-i-m-not-perfect/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [I'm not perfect, I'm only human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-perfect-i-m-only-human/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel a little more tired than usual, ... Ive had to recover from everything, my illnesses and things this summer. Its not perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/i-feel-a-little-more-tired-than-usual-ive-had-to-recover-from/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [Humanity is not perfect in any fashion; no more in the case of evil than in that of good. The criminal has his virtues,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-choderlos-de-laclos/humanity-is-not-perfect-in-any-fashion-no-more-in-the-case-of-evil/) [Pierre Choderlos de Laclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-choderlos-de-laclos/) > [Look, we are human, we make mistakes. I will gladly shout from the rooftops that I am not perfect. Nor will I ever be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/look-we-are-human-we-make-mistakes-i-will-gladly-shout-from-the/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [I'm not the one to back down and I don't give up, and believe me, I'm not perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-m-not-the-one-to-back-down-and-i-don-t-give-up-and-believe-me-i-m/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [The pursuit of perfection is frustrating and a waste of time, because nothing is ever perfect. The pursuit of excellence is commendable and worthwhile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/the-pursuit-of-perfection-is-frustrating-and-a-waste-of-time-because/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) ## More by Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada > [I would say I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, if that contradiction can make sense, because in Bolivia, we have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-would-say-i-m-a-fiscal-conservative-and-a-social-liberal-if-that/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [I'm going to have to campaign to teach Bolivians who the president is, because apparently they haven't realized I'm here yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-m-going-to-have-to-campaign-to-teach-bolivians-who-the-president-is/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [After Victor Paz's government, I was still in politics, but I personally spent a lot of time consulting and working with Argentina, with Peru,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/after-victor-paz-s-government-i-was-still-in-politics-but-i/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [Whoever gives in to terrorism has to be prepared to do so many times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/whoever-gives-in-to-terrorism-has-to-be-prepared-to-do-so-many-times/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [Taking power is fine. But what do you do when you are in power?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/taking-power-is-fine-but-what-do-you-do-when-you-are-in-power/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [Around the continent, governments worry that indigenous groups are fertile ground for extremist, terrorist groups. We are trying to make sure that doesn't happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/around-the-continent-governments-worry-that-indigenous-groups-are/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [You have troubles with violent indigenous movement around the continent. Here, we are putting more power in their hands and creating a nonviolent indigenous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/you-have-troubles-with-violent-indigenous-movement-around-the/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [Hopefully, together we can find solutions to our grave problems, but we'll never find them through violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/hopefully-together-we-can-find-solutions-to-our-grave-problems-but-we/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [I was always a reformer. My father and mother were progressives, and they believed in the universal vote, vote for women, land reform, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-was-always-a-reformer-my-father-and-mother-were-progressives-and/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [There is a national consensus building here that drugs are doing a great deal of damage to the Bolivian society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/there-is-a-national-consensus-building-here-that-drugs-are-doing-a/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [I was very identified with and accused of being a neo-liberal with respect to the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-was-very-identified-with-and-accused-of-being-a-neo-liberal-with/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [I'm not going to say that the problems of my government, or those of Bolivia, are the fault of the United States. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-m-not-going-to-say-that-the-problems-of-my-government-or-those-of/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [I've never liked to judge other people in the hope that they won't judge me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-ve-never-liked-to-judge-other-people-in-the-hope-that-they-won-t/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [It's difficult to explain a giraffe to a Bolivian who lives on the Altiplano. But when they see one, I think they'll like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/it-s-difficult-to-explain-a-giraffe-to-a-bolivian-who-lives-on-the/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [The actions I took at a time of national crisis in 2003 were necessary to protect lives and property and restore law and order.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/the-actions-i-took-at-a-time-of-national-crisis-in-2003-were/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) [Explore all 32 Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. 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. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy is not perfect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/democracy-is-not-perfect/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/democracy-is-not-perfect/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada-1977_democracy_democracy-is-not-perfect-2238121_2238121.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada-1977_democracy_democracy-is-not-perfect-2238121_2238121.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c16/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada-1977_democracy_democracy-is-not-perfect-2238121_2238121.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy is not perfect.” — Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada", "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": "Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Democracy is not perfect.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/democracy-is-not-perfect/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/democracy-is-not-perfect/#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 } } ] } ```