--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy used to be a good thing, but…" description: "\"Democracy used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten into the wrong hands.\" — Jesse Helms" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/jesse-helms-13503_democracy_democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-no_351745.png" --- # Democracy used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten… ![“Democracy used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten into the wrong hands.” quote by Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/jesse-helms-13503_democracy_democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-no_351745.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/jesse-helms-13503_democracy_democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-no_351745.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/jesse-helms-13503_democracy_democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-no_351745.png) > “Democracy used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten into the wrong hands.” [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy can be corrupted when power falls into the hands of those who misuse it. **In simple terms:** Democracy can be misused. Key Takeaway Guard against abuse of power. Themes politics power democracy Mood cautious critical Type political warning When to use this quote - elections - policy making - public discourse Key Concepts corruption institutional decay Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens ensure accountability? - What safeguards protect democracy? A Different Perspective Power can be concentrated despite democratic structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) ## Related quotes > [“Mass communication, in a word, is neither good nor bad; it is simply a force and, like any other force, it can be used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/mass-communication-in-a-word-is-neither-good-nor-bad-it-is-simply-a/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“The conversation had gotten off on the wrong foot and she knew it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-littell/the-conversation-had-gotten-off-on-the-wrong-foot-and-she-knew-it/) [Robert Littell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-littell/) > [I don't have all the facts. And I might misremember. As a matter of fact, after I finished Winter Journal, I realized that I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-don-t-have-all-the-facts-and-i-might-misremember-as-a-matter-of/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [We used to fight for democracy. Democracy used to matter. We now treat it with contempt. We have turned our backs on values that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/we-used-to-fight-for-democracy-democracy-used-to-matter-we-now-treat/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [They think democracy -- I used to say damn the democracy, because it's not a stable government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/they-think-democracy-i-used-to-say-damn-the-democracy-because-it-s/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [If you've read a lot of vintage science fiction, as I have at one time or another in my life, you can't help but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/if-you-ve-read-a-lot-of-vintage-science-fiction-as-i-have-at-one-time/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [Contouring in the wrong hands turns into clownturing. I like to build it into my concealer base using cream colours and then put my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/contouring-in-the-wrong-hands-turns-into-clownturing-i-like-to-build/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) > [“I would look and thirst for real love in all the wrong places and it was taken advantage of by all the wrong hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/i-would-look-and-thirst-for-real-love-in-all-the-wrong-places-and-it/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [If information ends up in the wrong hands, the lives of people very often are immediately at risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gijs-de-vries/if-information-ends-up-in-the-wrong-hands-the-lives-of-people-very/) [Gijs de Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gijs-de-vries/) > [Love can be a great thing but in the wrong hands it can be deadly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-can-be-a-great-thing-but-in-the-wrong-hands-it-can-be-deadly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Even a book can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and when that happens, you blame the hands, but you also read the book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-johansen/even-a-book-can-be-dangerous-in-the-wrong-hands-and-when-that-happens/) [Erika Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-johansen/) > [“Emotions can be dangerous in the wrong hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/emotions-can-be-dangerous-in-the-wrong-hands/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) > [“Of the good things they do many will pass unnoticed, or will even not be considered good at all; but they need not fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/of-the-good-things-they-do-many-will-pass-unnoticed-or-will-even-not/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) ## More by Jesse Helms > [Compromise, hell! That's what has happened to us all down the line -- and that's the very cause of our woes. If freedom is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/compromise-hell-that-s-what-has-happened-to-us-all-down-the-line-and/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [I fight for what I believe. If you are not willing to stand up for what you believe, your beliefs are not strong enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-fight-for-what-i-believe-if-you-are-not-willing-to-stand-up-for/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [The interests of the United States are better served by demanding reform and seeing that reform takes place than by removing our influence from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/the-interests-of-the-united-states-are-better-served-by-demanding/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [I have tried at every point to seek God's wisdom on the decisions I made, and I made it my business to speak up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-have-tried-at-every-point-to-seek-god-s-wisdom-on-the-decisions-i/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [This is an area where North Carolina does excel. I have known more colorful North Carolina political figures than I have colorless ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/this-is-an-area-where-north-carolina-does-excel-i-have-known-more/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [I do not intend to allow the Senate to rubber-stamp the president's plan to reward the Chinese Communists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-do-not-intend-to-allow-the-senate-to-rubber-stamp-the-president-s/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [They should ask their parents if it would be all right for their son or daughter to marry a Negro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/they-should-ask-their-parents-if-it-would-be-all-right-for-their-son/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [It's their deliberate, disgusting, revolting conduct that is responsible for the disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/it-s-their-deliberate-disgusting-revolting-conduct-that-is/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [The challenge is always before us. Whenever we lose sight of the principles that mattered to our founders we run into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/the-challenge-is-always-before-us-whenever-we-lose-sight-of-the/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [If you want to call me a bigot, fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/if-you-want-to-call-me-a-bigot-fine/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [The New York Times and Washington Post are both infested with homosexuals themselves. Just about every person down there is a homosexual or lesbian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/the-new-york-times-and-washington-post-are-both-infested-with/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [White people, wake up before it is too late. Do you want Negroes working beside you, your wife and your daughters, in your mills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/white-people-wake-up-before-it-is-too-late-do-you-want-negroes/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [I became a Republican when a very wise young lady asked me how I could remain a Democrat when I didn't agree with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-became-a-republican-when-a-very-wise-young-lady-asked-me-how-i/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [I worked in the media from the late 30's through the early 70's. Politics in general became more liberal both nationally and within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-worked-in-the-media-from-the-late-30-s-through-the-early-70-s/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [There was no Congressional Club for my first campaign. There was no organized state group of Young Republicans, but there was a dedicated core…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/there-was-no-congressional-club-for-my-first-campaign-there-was-no/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) [Explore all 50 Jesse Helms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) ## 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 used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten into the wrong hands.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jesse Helms" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-now-it-has-gotten-into-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-now-it-has-gotten-into-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/jesse-helms-13503_democracy_democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-no_351745.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/jesse-helms-13503_democracy_democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-no_351745.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/jesse-helms-13503_democracy_democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-no_351745.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten into the wrong hands.” — Jesse Helms", "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": "Jesse Helms", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Democracy used to be a good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-now-it-has-gotten-into-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/democracy-used-to-be-a-good-thing-but-now-it-has-gotten-into-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 } } ] } ```