--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is not just about voting but…" description: "\"Democracy is not just about voting but about informed voting. If democracy doesn't have access to reliable sources of information and instead relies on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/jens-martin-skibsted-12076_democracy_democracy-is-not-just-about-voting-but-a_1933747.jpg" --- # Democracy is not just about voting but about informed… ![“Democracy is not just about voting but about informed voting. If democracy doesn't have access to reliable sources of information and instead relies on social proof, then there is no way of distinguishing between junk evidence and actual knowledge.” quote by Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/jens-martin-skibsted-12076_democracy_democracy-is-not-just-about-voting-but-a_1933747.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/jens-martin-skibsted-12076_democracy_democracy-is-not-just-about-voting-but-a_1933747.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/jens-martin-skibsted-12076_democracy_democracy-is-not-just-about-voting-but-a_1933747.jpg) > “Democracy is not just about voting but about informed voting. If democracy doesn't have access to reliable sources of information and instead relies on social proof, then there is no way of distinguishing between junk evidence and actual knowledge.” [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy requires voters to be well‑informed; without reliable information, voting becomes random and ineffective. **In simple terms:** Informed voting is essential for true democracy. Key Takeaway Seek reliable information before voting. Themes democracy information voting Mood concerned hopeful Type political educational When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - community meetings - online forums Key Concepts media literacy civic engagement information theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you verify news sources? - What steps ensure your vote is informed? A Different Perspective Misinformation can distort public opinion; access to facts is uneven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-doesn-593902/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Informed Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/informed-voting-3024995/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Voting Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting-democracy-1334185/) [Voting Informed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting-informed-3040999/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I believe I have demonstrated that the voters are characteristically ill-informed when voting on reducing social costs. Furthermore, their primary concern is with wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-tullock/i-believe-i-have-demonstrated-that-the-voters-are-characteristically/) [Gordon Tullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-tullock/) > [I talk democracy to these men and women. I tell them that they have the vote, and that theirs is the kingdom and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-talk-democracy-to-these-men-and-women-i-tell-them-that-they-have/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Republicans are systematically and deliberately trying to stop millions of American citizens from voting. What part of democracy are they afraid of? I call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/republicans-are-systematically-and-deliberately-trying-to-stop/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [It's not the voting that's democracy; it's the counting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/it-s-not-the-voting-that-s-democracy-it-s-the-counting/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Democracy doesn't recognize east or west; democracy is simply people's will. Therefore, I do not acknowledge that there are various models of democracy; there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/democracy-doesn-t-recognize-east-or-west-democracy-is-simply-people-s/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [Saddam's ouster will not necessarily lead to the same result, since Iraq lacks democratic traditions. Democracy doesn't just consist of holding elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-scowcroft/saddam-s-ouster-will-not-necessarily-lead-to-the-same-result-since/) [Brent Scowcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-scowcroft/) > [A great democracy doesn't make it harder to vote than to buy an assault weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/a-great-democracy-doesn-t-make-it-harder-to-vote-than-to-buy-an/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [In 1988, when democracy was restored, the military establishment was still very powerful. The extremist groups were still there. And when the aid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/in-1988-when-democracy-was-restored-the-military-establishment-was/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [Democracy doesn't just consist of holding elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-scowcroft/democracy-doesn-t-just-consist-of-holding-elections/) [Brent Scowcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-scowcroft/) > [What we need in Africa is balanced development. Economic success cannot be a replacement for human rights or participation or democracy... it doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/what-we-need-in-africa-is-balanced-development-economic-success/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [Democracy doesn't begin at the top; it begins at the bottom, when flesh-and-blood human beings fight to rekindle what Arlo Guthrie calls 'The Patriot's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/democracy-doesn-t-begin-at-the-top-it-begins-at-the-bottom-when-flesh/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Marriage is like democracy - it doesn't really work, but it's all we've been able to come up with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/marriage-is-like-democracy-it-doesn-t-really-work-but-it-s-all-we-ve/) [Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/) > [Democracy doesn't mean I always get my way. It doesn't mean we always get what we want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/democracy-doesn-t-mean-i-always-get-my-way-it-doesn-t-mean-we-always/) [Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/) > [If the great Western experiment fails and we end up living in totalitarian war-on-terrorism states, one day someone's going to say, 'Well democracy doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/if-the-great-western-experiment-fails-and-we-end-up-living-in/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [Democracy doesn't automatically safeguard women and minorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anand-giridharadas/democracy-doesn-t-automatically-safeguard-women-and-minorities/) [Anand Giridharadas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anand-giridharadas/) ## More by Jens Martin Skibsted > [Looking at the numbers, the transatlantic slave trade matches the Holocaust in horror - maybe even without counting subsidiary effects like internal strife and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/looking-at-the-numbers-the-transatlantic-slave-trade-matches-the/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [I do think we need to at least register artificial intelligence units to be able to monitor and control them. Because we want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/i-do-think-we-need-to-at-least-register-artificial-intelligence-units/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Bundling finance, energy solutions, water solutions, traffic infrastructure, and all general urban infrastructures is too much of an ask for most developing cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/bundling-finance-energy-solutions-water-solutions-traffic/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Consumers do not want a perceived cheap car; they want a car to flaunt. A car is as much about status and identity as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/consumers-do-not-want-a-perceived-cheap-car-they-want-a-car-to-flaunt/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Neoliberalism became the leading economic ideology in the U.S. and in the U.K. during Ronald Reagan's and Margaret Thatcher's mandates. In this way, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/neoliberalism-became-the-leading-economic-ideology-in-the-u-s-and-in/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Urban mobility is a massive global challenge. The world needs people to use multiple forms of transport - a mix of biking, walking, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/urban-mobility-is-a-massive-global-challenge-the-world-needs-people/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Citizens have long been easily influenced by the opinions of others and sought social proof, but social media have amplified the phenomena to unprecedented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/citizens-have-long-been-easily-influenced-by-the-opinions-of-others/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Design negotiates between technology, policy, systems, and users.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/design-negotiates-between-technology-policy-systems-and-users/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [The road to energy efficiency is, in theory, a sustainability sweepstake. More efficiency means that less fuel is required to generate a given amount…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/the-road-to-energy-efficiency-is-in-theory-a-sustainability/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Curbing pollution and global warming takes a global cooperative mindset. Development aid needs to be rethought in this context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/curbing-pollution-and-global-warming-takes-a-global-cooperative/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Being design-led means designers take ideas from the abstract to the concrete, from potential to real value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/being-design-led-means-designers-take-ideas-from-the-abstract-to-the/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Effective altruism is a philosophy and social movement which tries to work out the most effective ways to improve the world. Effective altruists -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/effective-altruism-is-a-philosophy-and-social-movement-which-tries-to/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Our houses, shops, and factories waste gigantic amounts of energy, often in the form of excess heat. How do we slash this waste? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/our-houses-shops-and-factories-waste-gigantic-amounts-of-energy-often/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Regardless of our political stance, we cannot afford to perpetuate the Western car-centric model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/regardless-of-our-political-stance-we-cannot-afford-to-perpetuate-the/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) > [Airships could be part of the answer to Africa's infrastructure woes - if the financial challenges are overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-martin-skibsted/airships-could-be-part-of-the-answer-to-africa-s-infrastructure-woes/) [Jens Martin Skibsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) [Explore all 56 Jens Martin Skibsted quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-martin-skibsted/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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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 just about voting but about informed voting. 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