--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is not something that happens…" description: "\"Democracy is not something that happens, you know, just at election time, and it's not something that happens just with one event. It's an ongoing buil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/jim-hightower-10047_building_democracy-is-not-something-that-happens_1816415.jpg" --- # Democracy is not something that happens, you know, just at… ![“Democracy is not something that happens, you know, just at election time, and it's not something that happens just with one event. It's an ongoing building process. But it also ought to be a part of our culture, a part of our lives.” quote by Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/jim-hightower-10047_building_democracy-is-not-something-that-happens_1816415.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/jim-hightower-10047_building_democracy-is-not-something-that-happens_1816415.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/jim-hightower-10047_building_democracy-is-not-something-that-happens_1816415.jpg) > “Democracy is not something that happens, you know, just at election time, and it's not something that happens just with one event. It's an ongoing building process. But it also ought to be a part of our culture, a part of our lives.” [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## 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 continual participation and cultural integration, not just occasional voting. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs ongoing effort, not just elections. Key Takeaway Engage daily in civic life. Themes civic engagement culture participation governance education Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - voting - community meetings - public forums - local activism - policy discussions Key Concepts democratic theory social capital collective responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals keep democracy alive daily? - What cultural practices support democratic habits? A Different Perspective It can be hard to sustain interest between elections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-happens-2157946/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Election time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election-time/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Just Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-election-819271/) [Ongoing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ongoing/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We don't just show up at election time; we're there full time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronna-mcdaniel/we-don-t-just-show-up-at-election-time-we-re-there-full-time/) [Ronna McDaniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronna-mcdaniel/) > [I just feel like, for me personally, there's just been so much election fatigue, and while I think it was very important during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/i-just-feel-like-for-me-personally-there-s-just-been-so-much-election/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [The effort of Reince Priebus and the RNC to reach out to movement conservatives has been impressive and will, I believe pay great dividends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blackwell/the-effort-of-reince-priebus-and-the-rnc-to-reach-out-to-movement/) [Ken Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blackwell/) > [Election time is when you start to hear about 'average people,' 'working families,' 'patriotic Americans' and such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anand-giridharadas/election-time-is-when-you-start-to-hear-about-average-people-working/) [Anand Giridharadas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anand-giridharadas/) > [The African-American community has been let down by our politicians. They talk good around election time, and after the election, they say, see ya…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-african-american-community-has-been-let-down-by-our-politicians/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There's all this talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger. Well, you know where he is now? Visiting Mexico, which I think means that he is definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/there-s-all-this-talk-about-arnold-schwarzenegger-well-you-know-where/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [One of the most repellent spectacles at election times is the pretense of piety on the part of people running for office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/one-of-the-most-repellent-spectacles-at-election-times-is-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I can't think of any decision where the entire Congress immediately rushes to condemn a decision by the court. It's getting to be election…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-reinhardt/i-can-t-think-of-any-decision-where-the-entire-congress-immediately/) [Stephen Reinhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-reinhardt/) > [Everything a politician promises at election time has to be paid for either by higher taxation or by borrowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/everything-a-politician-promises-at-election-time-has-to-be-paid-for/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Most libels, and I have taken about 30 actions, take place at election time. It has not stuck because I am prepared to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/most-libels-and-i-have-taken-about-30-actions-take-place-at-election/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [We're an ignorant nation right now. We're not really capable, I do not think, the majority of our people, of making the decisions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cronkite/we-re-an-ignorant-nation-right-now-we-re-not-really-capable-i-do-not/) [Walter Cronkite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cronkite/) > [Principles aren't of much account anyway, except at election time. After that you hang them up to let them season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/principles-aren-t-of-much-account-anyway-except-at-election-time/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [You know what? I think the American people are a little pissed, and I think they're pissed at both parties - I think they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/you-know-what-i-think-the-american-people-are-a-little-pissed-and-i/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/as-societies-grow-decadent-the-language-grows-decadent-too-words-are-2/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The election is not a time to discuss serious issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/the-election-is-not-a-time-to-discuss-serious-issues/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) ## More by Jim Hightower > [The original Greek word "idiotes" referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-original-greek-word-idiotes-referred-to-people-who-might-have-had/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [It's hard to believe President George Bush gave a speech in New Orleans about disaster recovery and failed to mention the word 'farm' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/it-s-hard-to-believe-president-george-bush-gave-a-speech-in-new/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Do something. If it doesn't work, do something else. No idea is too crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/do-something-if-it-doesn-t-work-do-something-else-no-idea-is-too-crazy/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-opposite-for-courage-is-not-cowardice-it-is-conformity-even-a/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Some people say we need a third party. I wish we had a second one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/some-people-say-we-need-a-third-party-i-wish-we-had-a-second-one/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populism is not a style, it's a people's rebellion against the iron grip that big corporations have on our country - including our economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populism-is-not-a-style-it-s-a-people-s-rebellion-against-the-iron/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/even-a-dead-fish-can-go-with-the-flow/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [There's enormous progressive activism and, more often than not, success at the grassroots level - everything from living wage campaigns to efforts to finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/there-s-enormous-progressive-activism-and-more-often-than-not-success/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [If it's dangerous to talk to yourself, it's probably even dicier to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/if-it-s-dangerous-to-talk-to-yourself-it-s-probably-even-dicier-to/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [You have to learn to read between the lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/you-have-to-learn-to-read-between-the-lies/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Liberals want to manage the damage with government programs to take care of those who have fallen between the cracks. Populists want to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/liberals-want-to-manage-the-damage-with-government-programs-to-take/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populists have always been out to challenge the orthodoxy of the corporate order and to empower workaday Americans so they can control their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populists-have-always-been-out-to-challenge-the-orthodoxy-of-the/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The middle of the road is for yellow lines and dead armadillos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-middle-of-the-road-is-for-yellow-lines-and-dead-armadillos/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Part of the failure of the corporate media is that they don't dig out stories anymore. They are looking down from the top floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/part-of-the-failure-of-the-corporate-media-is-that-they-don-t-dig-out/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Politics ought to be fun. It shouldn't be just boring meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-ought-to-be-fun-it-shouldn-t-be-just-boring-meetings/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) [Explore all 68 Jim Hightower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) [Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy is not something that happens, you know, just at election time, and it's not something that happens just with one event. 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