--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's hard in all countries. Democracy is…" description: "\"It's hard in all countries. Democracy is hard, but it's better than the alternatives.\" — Jamie Dimon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/jamie-dimon-1320_alternatives_it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is_2955111.png" --- # It's hard in all countries. Democracy is hard, but it's… ![“It's hard in all countries. Democracy is hard, but it's better than the alternatives.” quote by Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/jamie-dimon-1320_alternatives_it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is_2955111.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/jamie-dimon-1320_alternatives_it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is_2955111.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/jamie-dimon-1320_alternatives_it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is_2955111.png) > “It's hard in all countries. Democracy is hard, but it's better than the alternatives.” [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledges democracy’s difficulty but argues it remains preferable to other systems. **In simple terms:** Democracy is hard yet better than alternatives. Key Takeaway Support democratic processes despite challenges. Themes politics governance comparative systems Mood thoughtful optimistic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - civic engagement - policy reform Key Concepts democratic theory political stability Questions to Reflect On - What makes democracy preferable for you? - How can we improve democratic participation? A Different Perspective Some alternatives may be less oppressive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ## Related quotes > [That is the nature of democracy. It is hard. It is not always inspiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-the-nature-of-democracy-it-is-hard-it-is-not-always-inspiring/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It's very hard to get other countries to give up their weapons when you're busy developing a new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/it-s-very-hard-to-get-other-countries-to-give-up-their-weapons-when/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We're going to fight hard on this. We're going to push hard - not just on North Korea; we're going to push hard on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/we-re-going-to-fight-hard-on-this-we-re-going-to-push-hard-not-just/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I've never understood multi-party democracy. It's hard enough with two parties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-ve-never-understood-multi-party-democracy-it-s-hard-enough-with-two/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The transition from tyranny to democracy is very hard. The Syrian people have to handle this in a way that works in Syria. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-transition-from-tyranny-to-democracy-is-very-hard-the-syrian/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our brand of democracy is hard. But I can promise that a year from now, when I no longer hold this office, I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-brand-of-democracy-is-hard-but-i-can-promise-that-a-year-from-now/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Democracy is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/democracy-is-hard-work/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It is not proper to name them, but in a number of countries, in the name of democracy, all decisions are made by one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nguyen-phu-trong/it-is-not-proper-to-name-them-but-in-a-number-of-countries-in-the/) [Nguyen Phu Trong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nguyen-phu-trong/) > [You said, 'Planning is something for communist countries; democracy and planning don't go together!' But, with all the errors we committed, our plans succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/you-said-planning-is-something-for-communist-countries-democracy-and/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [On my travels around the world, I've met people in countries where democracy doesn't exist and if it does, they are intimidated into voting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-kemp/on-my-travels-around-the-world-i-ve-met-people-in-countries-where/) [Ross Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-kemp/) > [Some of the reasons why Muslims would look down on America or even countries that have democracy, is because that's what they've been taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristian-machado/some-of-the-reasons-why-muslims-would-look-down-on-america-or-even/) [Cristian Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristian-machado/) > [I lived in countries that had no democracy... so I don't find myself in the same luxury as you do. You grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/i-lived-in-countries-that-had-no-democracy-so-i-don-t-find-myself-in/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [In countries where democracy is either non-existent or in development, on the other hand, citizens crave those freedoms. Maybe that is one lesson Western…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/in-countries-where-democracy-is-either-non-existent-or-in-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Perhaps it's time to start examining countries that have made democracy work while still having some kind of the same relationship in covenant with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-mcgruder/perhaps-it-s-time-to-start-examining-countries-that-have-made/) [Aaron McGruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-mcgruder/) > [When things are not going your way, it's hard. But it made me better going through that struggle. I had to fight through it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauri-markkanen/when-things-are-not-going-your-way-it-s-hard-but-it-made-me-better/) [Lauri Markkanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauri-markkanen/) ## More by Jamie Dimon > [I think if we had another set of policies for - not the crisis years, but after that, that we might be growing faster.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-think-if-we-had-another-set-of-policies-for-not-the-crisis-years/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I learn from all our major competitors, whether they're in or out of the U.S. Wells Fargo is very actively, very aggressively, and very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-learn-from-all-our-major-competitors-whether-they-re-in-or-out-of/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [The United States has the best, deepest, widest, and most transparent capital markets in the world which give you, the investor, the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/the-united-states-has-the-best-deepest-widest-and-most-transparent/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [People always say to me, "What if it doesn't work?" If it doesn't work, we redouble our effort. We're not going to cry like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/people-always-say-to-me-what-if-it-doesn-t-work-if-it-doesn-t-work-we/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [We've made a huge effort globally and in the US, in getting kids jobs. This is one piece. The South Bronx and inner-city schools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/we-ve-made-a-huge-effort-globally-and-in-the-us-in-getting-kids-jobs/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [You know, the benefit in life is to say, 'Maybe you made a mistake, let's dig deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/you-know-the-benefit-in-life-is-to-say-maybe-you-made-a-mistake-let-s/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [JP Morgan always has higher capital liquidity, that is partially to make up for mistakes and problems and obviously its a tough economy. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/jp-morgan-always-has-higher-capital-liquidity-that-is-partially-to/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [Trade is very good for the country. It's very good for the GDP. It's good for wages, but it doesn't mean it's always good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/trade-is-very-good-for-the-country-it-s-very-good-for-the-gdp-it-s/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I've asked our people, "Why don't we just put a revolver on top of our basic loan?" Make it easier for the client.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-ve-asked-our-people-why-don-t-we-just-put-a-revolver-on-top-of-our/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [As a matter of fact 25% of our U.S. investment banking business comes out of our commercial bank. So it's a competitive advantage for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/as-a-matter-of-fact-25-of-our-u-s-investment-banking-business-comes/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [ Not every company went bankrupt. Not every bank needed TARP \[Troubled Asset Relief Program\]. So I'm very proud that JPMorgan, throughout that time period,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/not-every-company-went-bankrupt-not-every-bank-needed-tarp-troubled/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [I do want the tax system to be efficient and be conducive to growth, which it is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/i-do-want-the-tax-system-to-be-efficient-and-be-conducive-to-growth/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [ There are parts \[in Dodd-Frank\] that I don't agree with. But, in total, it is what it is. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/there-are-parts-in-dodd-frank-that-i-don-t-agree-with-but-in-total-it/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [It's good for America when the rest of the world grows, because you can sell more to the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/it-s-good-for-america-when-the-rest-of-the-world-grows-because-you/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [We had a lot of gridlock on a lot of issues. But, the American system is pretty resilient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/we-had-a-lot-of-gridlock-on-a-lot-of-issues-but-the-american-system/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) [Explore all 257 Jamie Dimon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) ## More Alternatives quotes > [I am very sad that some designers are still using real fur when the fake alternatives are so effective and so easily obtainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-am-very-sad-that-some-designers-are-still-using-real-fur-when-the/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [ \[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:\] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-prime-minister-i-don-t-know-i/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [If one could have a wish, or an alternative life, I would've liked to have been John Lennon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/if-one-could-have-a-wish-or-an-alternative-life-i-would-ve-liked-to/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [THE REAL PURPOSE OF HOLOCAUST REVISIONISM IS TO MAKE NATIONAL SOCIALISM AN ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE AGAIN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-covington/the-real-purpose-of-holocaust-revisionism-is-to-make-national/) Harold Covington > [Men since the beginning of time have sought peace...military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/men-since-the-beginning-of-time-have-sought-peace-military-alliances/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) Don Chipp > [In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-musto/in-the-last-few-years-the-very-idea-of-telling-the-truth-the-whole/) [Michael Musto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-musto/) > [Altermodern is an in-progress redefinition of modernity in the era of globalisation, stressing the experience of wandering in time, space and mediums. The term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-bourriaud/altermodern-is-an-in-progress-redefinition-of-modernity-in-the-era-of/) Nicolas Bourriaud > [If the system exhibits a structure which can be represented by a mathematical equivalent, called a mathematical model, and if the objective can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/if-the-system-exhibits-a-structure-which-can-be-represented-by-a/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [We must commit ourselves to an 'all of the above' energy approach, with a major focus on increasing domestic production and expanding alternatives fuels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-roskam/we-must-commit-ourselves-to-an-all-of-the-above-energy-approach-with/) [Peter Roskam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-roskam/) Browse all 1,463 Alternatives quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's hard in all countries. Democracy is hard, but it's better than the alternatives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jamie Dimon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is-hard-but-it-s-better-than-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alternatives" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is-hard-but-it-s-better-than-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/jamie-dimon-1320_alternatives_it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is_2955111.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/jamie-dimon-1320_alternatives_it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is_2955111.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac5/jamie-dimon-1320_alternatives_it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is_2955111.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's hard in all countries. Democracy is hard, but it's better than the alternatives.” — Jamie Dimon", "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": "Jamie Dimon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's hard in all countries. Democracy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is-hard-but-it-s-better-than-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/it-s-hard-in-all-countries-democracy-is-hard-but-it-s-better-than-the/#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 } } ] } ```