--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are thus brought to a conception of…" description: "\"We are thus brought to a conception of Democracy not merely as a sentiment which desires the well-being of all men, nor yet as a creed which believes i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/jane-addams-6111_believe_we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-d_332246.jpg" --- # We are thus brought to a conception of Democracy not… ![“We are thus brought to a conception of Democracy not merely as a sentiment which desires the well-being of all men, nor yet as a creed which believes in the essential dignity and equality of all men, but as that which affords a rule of living as well as a test of faith.” quote by Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/jane-addams-6111_believe_we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-d_332246.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/jane-addams-6111_believe_we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-d_332246.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/jane-addams-6111_believe_we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-d_332246.jpg) > “We are thus brought to a conception of Democracy not merely as a sentiment which desires the well-being of all men, nor yet as a creed which believes in the essential dignity and equality of all men, but as that which affords a rule of living as well as a test of faith.” [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy is more than a feeling or belief; it is a lived practice and a test of collective faith in equality and dignity. **In simple terms:** Democracy requires active participation and moral testing. Key Takeaway Engage in civic duties and uphold equality. Themes civic engagement equality morality political theory Mood hopeful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - public policy debates - education curricula Key Concepts social contract public trust participatory governance Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure democracy remains a lived practice? - What tests of faith does democracy face today? A Different Perspective Idealistic view may overlook systemic power imbalances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) [Creeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Sentiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments/) [Test of faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/test-of-faith/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Well being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-being/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [“It is really one of the most serious faults which can be found with the whole conception of democracy, that its cultural function must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rothko/it-is-really-one-of-the-most-serious-faults-which-can-be-found-with/) [Mark Rothko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rothko/) > [The Church of England holds very firmly, and continues to hold to the view, that marriage is a lifelong union of one man to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-welby/the-church-of-england-holds-very-firmly-and-continues-to-hold-to-the/) [Justin Welby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-welby/) > [Nothing is so essential as dignity…Time will reveal who has it and who has it not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/nothing-is-so-essential-as-dignity-time-will-reveal-who-has-it-and/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [More and more Republicans are recognizing and respecting the essential dignity of individuals who are gay and deserve the full rights of citizenship, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/more-and-more-republicans-are-recognizing-and-respecting-the/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [democracy is that which affords a rule of living as well as a test of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/democracy-is-that-which-affords-a-rule-of-living-as-well-as-a-test-of/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [“Keep in mind that democracy merely gives power to the people; it does not ensure that power will be used wisely or humanely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/keep-in-mind-that-democracy-merely-gives-power-to-the-people-it-does/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [Our country was thereby saved from the consequences of its distracting individualistic conception of democracy, and its merely legal conception of nationality. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/our-country-was-thereby-saved-from-the-consequences-of-its/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [Violence is hidden within democratic structures because they are not radically democratic - Western democracy is merely a domestic convenience of consumerism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bond/violence-is-hidden-within-democratic-structures-because-they-are-not/) [Edward Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bond/) > [Democracy is not merely a form of Government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/democracy-is-not-merely-a-form-of-government-it-is-primarily-a-mode/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [In this situation, it becomes vital that our own country orient its policies in consonance with this basic evolutionary condition rather than pursue a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/in-this-situation-it-becomes-vital-that-our-own-country-orient-its/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Human rights means that each individual should be treated with respect, dignity and equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-fernandes/human-rights-means-that-each-individual-should-be-treated-with/) [Tony Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-fernandes/) > [“For the poor man, the immigrant, the homeless veteran living under a bridge, to be treated under the law the same as the rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khizr-khan/for-the-poor-man-the-immigrant-the-homeless-veteran-living-under-a/) [Khizr Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khizr-khan/) > [There will always be a place for us somewhere, somehow, as long as we see to it that working people fight for everything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bridges/there-will-always-be-a-place-for-us-somewhere-somehow-as-long-as-we/) [Harry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bridges/) > [I was a human rights lawyer for 20 years, I believed those values of dignity, equality and non-discrimination were a given. believed the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/i-was-a-human-rights-lawyer-for-20-years-i-believed-those-values-of/) [Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/) > [“Even the poorest among us deserves the dignity of equality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-prophet-of-life/even-the-poorest-among-us-deserves-the-dignity-of-equality/) The Prophet of Life ## More by Jane Addams > [The task of youth is not only its own salvation but the salvation of those against whom it rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/the-task-of-youth-is-not-only-its-own-salvation-but-the-salvation-of/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [“In his own way each man must struggle, lest the moral law become a far-off abstraction utterly separated from his active life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/in-his-own-way-each-man-must-struggle-lest-the-moral-law-become-a-far/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Private beneficence is totally inadequate to deal with the vast numbers of the city's disinherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/private-beneficence-is-totally-inadequate-to-deal-with-the-vast/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [That person is most cultivated who is able to put himself in the place of the greatest number of other persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/that-person-is-most-cultivated-who-is-able-to-put-himself-in-the/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [As the acceptance of democracy brings a certain life-giving power, so it has its own sanctions and comforts. Perhaps the most obvious one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/as-the-acceptance-of-democracy-brings-a-certain-life-giving-power-so/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Perhaps nothing is so fraught with significance as the human hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/perhaps-nothing-is-so-fraught-with-significance-as-the-human-hand/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Intellectual life requires for its expansion and manifestation the influences and assimilation of the interests and affections of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/intellectual-life-requires-for-its-expansion-and-manifestation-the/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Life cannot be administered by definite rules and regulations; that wisdom to deal with a man's difficulties comes only through some knowledge of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/life-cannot-be-administered-by-definite-rules-and-regulations-that/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Hospitality still survives among foreigners, although it is buried under false pride among the poorest Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/hospitality-still-survives-among-foreigners-although-it-is-buried/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Keep friends close but keep enemies closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/keep-friends-close-but-keep-enemies-closer/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [With all the efforts made by modern society to nurture and educate the young, how stupid it is to permit the mothers of young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/with-all-the-efforts-made-by-modern-society-to-nurture-and-educate/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [If the meanest man in the republic is deprived of his rights,then every man in the republic is deprived of his rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/if-the-meanest-man-in-the-republic-is-deprived-of-his-rights-then/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [If the underdog were always right, one might quite easily try to defend him. The trouble is that very often he is but obscurely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/if-the-underdog-were-always-right-one-might-quite-easily-try-to/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Pliable human nature is relentlessly pressed upon by its physical environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/pliable-human-nature-is-relentlessly-pressed-upon-by-its-physical/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Even death itself sometimes fails to bring the dignity and serenity which one would fain associate with old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/even-death-itself-sometimes-fails-to-bring-the-dignity-and-serenity/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) [Explore all 100 Jane Addams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [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 truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are thus brought to a conception of Democracy not merely as a sentiment which desires the well-being of all men, nor yet as a creed which believes in the essential dignity and equality of all men, but as that which affords a rule of living as well as a test of faith.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Addams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-democracy-not-merely-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-democracy-not-merely-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/jane-addams-6111_believe_we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-d_332246.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/jane-addams-6111_believe_we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-d_332246.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/635/jane-addams-6111_believe_we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-d_332246.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are thus brought to a conception of Democracy not merely as a sentiment which desires the well-being of…” — Jane Addams", "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": "Jane Addams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are thus brought to a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-democracy-not-merely-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/we-are-thus-brought-to-a-conception-of-democracy-not-merely-as-a/#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 } } ] } ```