--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A vigorous democracy a democracy in which…" description: "\"A vigorous democracy a democracy in which there are freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech would never succum..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_communication_a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-whic_1457976.jpg" --- # A vigorous democracy a democracy in which there are… ![“A vigorous democracy a democracy in which there are freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech would never succumb to communism or any other ism.” quote by Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_communication_a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-whic_1457976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_communication_a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-whic_1457976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_communication_a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-whic_1457976.jpg) > “A vigorous democracy a democracy in which there are freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech would never succumb to communism or any other ism.” [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A true democracy must guarantee economic security, safety, religious liberty, and free expression to resist totalitarian ideologies. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs freedom from need, fear, religion, and speech to stay healthy. Key Takeaway Protect these freedoms to guard democracy. Themes freedom democracy security rights political resilience Mood hopeful determined serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - education - community building - civil rights advocacy Key Concepts human rights political theory social contract Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure material security for all? - What policies best protect free speech? A Different Perspective Economic and security concerns can still undermine democracy even with formal freedoms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-freedom/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom of religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-religion/) [Freedom of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-speech/) [Isms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isms/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [The answer to subversion of democracy is more democracy, more freedom, more justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-answer-to-subversion-of-democracy-is-more-democracy-more-freedom/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Optimism comes less easily today, not because democracy is less vigorous, but because democracy's enemies have refined their instruments of repression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/optimism-comes-less-easily-today-not-because-democracy-is-less/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [South Korea is a vigorous democracy, with strong judicial institutions and a commitment to the rule of law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/south-korea-is-a-vigorous-democracy-with-strong-judicial-institutions/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [Charity erodes the cultural prerequisites for a vigorous democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-poppendieck/charity-erodes-the-cultural-prerequisites-for-a-vigorous-democracy/) [Janet Poppendieck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-poppendieck/) > [Socialism, as I understand it, is a system of democracy. Without democracy, there is no socialism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wen-jiabao/socialism-as-i-understand-it-is-a-system-of-democracy-without/) [Wen Jiabao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wen-jiabao/) > [Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/freedom-of-the-press-is-not-just-important-to-democracy-it-is/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [I don’t think that India is much celebrated for its democracy. Democracy has been a very neglected commodity at home and abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/i-don-t-think-that-india-is-much-celebrated-for-its-democracy/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [There's a big difference in a representative republic and a democracy. We do not have a democracy in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-a-big-difference-in-a-representative-republic-and-a-democracy/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“High hopes were once formed of democracy; but democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/high-hopes-were-once-formed-of-democracy-but-democracy-means-simply/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Most of wars or military coups or invasions are done in the name of democracy against democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/most-of-wars-or-military-coups-or-invasions-are-done-in-the-name-of/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Civil disobedience is not something outside the realm of democracy. Democracy requires civil disobedience. Without civil disobedience democracy does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/civil-disobedience-is-not-something-outside-the-realm-of-democracy/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [By defying our country's commitment to free and fair elections, Trump is defying our entire democracy. After all, what is democracy if not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/by-defying-our-country-s-commitment-to-free-and-fair-elections-trump/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [Anarchism? You bet your sweet betsy. The only cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy. Much more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/anarchism-you-bet-your-sweet-betsy-the-only-cure-for-the-ills-of/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-cure-for-the-evils-of-democracy-is-more-democracy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With the tools of democracy, democracy was murdered and lawlessness made "legal." Raw power ruled, and its only real goal was to destroy all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-metaxas/with-the-tools-of-democracy-democracy-was-murdered-and-lawlessness/) [Eric Metaxas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-metaxas/) ## More by Helen Gahagan Douglas > [You can't prove you're an American by waving Old Glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/you-can-t-prove-you-re-an-american-by-waving-old-glory/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by how one thinks and acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/character-isn-t-inherited-one-builds-it-daily-by-how-one-thinks-and/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [The ... irrational fear of communism is being deliberately used in many quarters to blind us to our real problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/the-irrational-fear-of-communism-is-being-deliberately-used-in-many/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [We cannot legislate equality but we can legislate ... equal opportunity for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/we-cannot-legislate-equality-but-we-can-legislate-equal-opportunity/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [The discrepancy between American ideals and American practice - between our aims and what we actually do - creates a moral dry rot which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/the-discrepancy-between-american-ideals-and-american-practice-between/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [The discrepancy between American ideals and American practice creates a dry rot which eats away at the foundations of our democratic faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/the-discrepancy-between-american-ideals-and-american-practice-creates/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [men never would share power with women willingly. If we wanted it, we would have to take it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/men-never-would-share-power-with-women-willingly-if-we-wanted-it-we/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [Such pip-squeaks as Nixon and McCarthy are trying to get us so frightened of Communism that we'll be afraid to turn out the lights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/such-pip-squeaks-as-nixon-and-mccarthy-are-trying-to-get-us-so/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [Character isn't inherited. One builds it daily by the way one thinks and acts, thought by thought, action by action. If one lets fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/character-isn-t-inherited-one-builds-it-daily-by-the-way-one-thinks/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [Character isn't inherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/character-isn-t-inherited/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [Politicians aren't any more wicked than other citizens but the situation in which they are placed warps their judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/politicians-aren-t-any-more-wicked-than-other-citizens-but-the/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [You cannot barter security for freedom, or freedom for security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/you-cannot-barter-security-for-freedom-or-freedom-for-security/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [If one lets fear or hate or anger take possession of the mind, they become self-forged chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/if-one-lets-fear-or-hate-or-anger-take-possession-of-the-mind-they/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [Nothing can be controlled by one country today; nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/nothing-can-be-controlled-by-one-country-today-nothing/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) > [To be free you must afford freedom to your neighbor, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin, and that sometimes, for some, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/to-be-free-you-must-afford-freedom-to-your-neighbor-regardless-of/) [Helen Gahagan Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) [Explore all 25 Helen Gahagan Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/) ## More Communication quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/) [Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [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/) [Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A vigorous democracy a democracy in which there are freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of religion, and freedom of speech would never succumb to communism or any other ism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Gahagan Douglas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-which-there-are-freedom-from-want/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Communication" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-which-there-are-freedom-from-want/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_communication_a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-whic_1457976.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_communication_a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-whic_1457976.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/helen-gahagan-douglas-23620_communication_a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-whic_1457976.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A vigorous democracy a democracy in which there are freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of…” — Helen Gahagan Douglas", "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": "Helen Gahagan Douglas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gahagan-douglas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A vigorous democracy a democracy in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-which-there-are-freedom-from-want/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gahagan-douglas/a-vigorous-democracy-a-democracy-in-which-there-are-freedom-from-want/#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 } } ] } ```