--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If allowed, democracy does actually work." description: "\"If allowed, democracy does actually work.\" — John McDonnell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-mcdonnell-5730_actually_if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work_2365481.jpg" --- # If allowed, democracy does actually work. ![“If allowed, democracy does actually work.” quote by John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-mcdonnell-5730_actually_if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work_2365481.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-mcdonnell-5730_actually_if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work_2365481.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-mcdonnell-5730_actually_if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work_2365481.jpg) > “If allowed, democracy does actually work.” [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) ## 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 function effectively when allowed to operate freely and responsibly. **In simple terms:** Democracy works when properly applied. Key Takeaway Support and protect democratic institutions. Themes governance democracy effectiveness Mood serious optimistic Type political educational When to use this quote - Voting processes - public policy debates - civic education programs - community decision making Key Concepts Political theory civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards ensure democratic health? - How can citizens strengthen democratic practice? A Different Perspective Challenges arise when institutions are compromised. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) [Actually Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually-work-720063/) [Allowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed/) [Allowed Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowed-democracy-1812720/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-does-488050/) [Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does/) [Does Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-actually-4411256/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“sometimes getting close to the fire does actually burn you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-getting-close-to-the-fire-does-actually-burn-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We're living in an age in which everything is allowed, and democracy is being devoured and destroyed by that limitless freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-re-living-in-an-age-in-which-everything-is-allowed-and-democracy/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“believe he should have to actually “work” like the rest of us and he thinks the constituents”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/believe-he-should-have-to-actually-work-like-the-rest-of-us-and-he/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [Republican senators such as Ben Sasse have championed smart, practical policies for working people that actually work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-x-suarez/republican-senators-such-as-ben-sasse-have-championed-smart-practical/) [Francis X. Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-x-suarez/) > [I'm way stronger than I used to be. I actually work out now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-holland/i-m-way-stronger-than-i-used-to-be-i-actually-work-out-now/) [Kevin Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-holland/) > [The biggest surprise to me is many members in Congress don't actually work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/the-biggest-surprise-to-me-is-many-members-in-congress-don-t-actually/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [Poverty should not just be made an issue - there is need to actually work on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajnath-singh/poverty-should-not-just-be-made-an-issue-there-is-need-to-actually/) [Rajnath Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajnath-singh/) > [It's one thing in this business to actually work. 5 percent of the Screen Actors' Guild works. It's another thing to do work that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-margulies/it-s-one-thing-in-this-business-to-actually-work-5-percent-of-the/) [Julianna Margulies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-margulies/) > [It's always fun when you're doing the CGI stuff, to actually get to work with someone who is real, who's there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breckin-meyer/it-s-always-fun-when-you-re-doing-the-cgi-stuff-to-actually-get-to/) [Breckin Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breckin-meyer/) > [I love that I can actually work from a judgment-free zone. Most actors can't, so I'm preserving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/i-love-that-i-can-actually-work-from-a-judgment-free-zone-most-actors/) [Da'Vine Joy Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-vine-joy-randolph/) > [I used to actually work in a comic book stores in New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sussman/i-used-to-actually-work-in-a-comic-book-stores-in-new-york/) [Kevin Sussman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sussman/) > [Organizations should try to find out if their learning programs actually work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/organizations-should-try-to-find-out-if-their-learning-programs/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [I have to admit to not being the greatest technician, but stop motion animation gives me licence to create machines that wouldn't otherwise be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/i-have-to-admit-to-not-being-the-greatest-technician-but-stop-motion/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Actually, I never work in movies for money. I'm glad when I get well-paid, but it's not always the case - trust me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-cassel/actually-i-never-work-in-movies-for-money-i-m-glad-when-i-get-well/) [Vincent Cassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-cassel/) > [It's actually more work for me to not smile than to smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-arlen/it-s-actually-more-work-for-me-to-not-smile-than-to-smile/) [Victoria Arlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-arlen/) ## More by John McDonnell > [Going to university is, and should be, so much more than a mechanical process of grinding out a degree qualification for a pre-determined career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/going-to-university-is-and-should-be-so-much-more-than-a-mechanical/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [The arrogant view that young people don't count because they don't vote has thankfully been smashed for ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-arrogant-view-that-young-people-don-t-count-because-they-don-t/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [Well organised displays of spontaneous support is one of the New Labour machine's specialities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/well-organised-displays-of-spontaneous-support-is-one-of-the-new/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [Labour will only survive in government if we can restore the sense of mission upon which it was founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/labour-will-only-survive-in-government-if-we-can-restore-the-sense-of/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [The spread of information technology and the long-term decline in the cost of computing power have created opportunities that simply did not exist before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-spread-of-information-technology-and-the-long-term-decline-in-the/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [When I left school I went onto the shop floor, working 12-hour shifts in a TV factory. My workmates were sharp, skilled and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/when-i-left-school-i-went-onto-the-shop-floor-working-12-hour-shifts/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [The New Labour political elite has long conspired to secure a so-called 'smooth transition' for Blair's successor. This would amount to little more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-new-labour-political-elite-has-long-conspired-to-secure-a-so/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [If the government is injecting public money, it should also take the right to oversee board appointments, executive pay, and future business operations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/if-the-government-is-injecting-public-money-it-should-also-take-the/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [Only the political process offers the real prospect of a united Ireland at peace with itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/only-the-political-process-offers-the-real-prospect-of-a-united/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [Producing more reams of detailed policies that have marginal and limited effects on our society is futile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/producing-more-reams-of-detailed-policies-that-have-marginal-and/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [There are some lines in the sand you just do not cross. Undermining basic civil liberties by locking people up for long periods without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/there-are-some-lines-in-the-sand-you-just-do-not-cross-undermining/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [Political rivalry is one thing but personal smear campaigns scrape the barrel of political infighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/political-rivalry-is-one-thing-but-personal-smear-campaigns-scrape/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [No cause is worth the loss of a child's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/no-cause-is-worth-the-loss-of-a-child-s-life/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [The illegal 2003 invasion had little to do with liberating Iraqis from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. Instead, the real freedoms and benefits were destined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/the-illegal-2003-invasion-had-little-to-do-with-liberating-iraqis/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) > [We want to be absolutely clear to the people what we are about. No backroom deals whatsoever and we're not going to be held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/we-want-to-be-absolutely-clear-to-the-people-what-we-are-about-no/) [John McDonnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) [Explore all 100 John McDonnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/) ## More Actually 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/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/) [David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/) > [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/) [Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/) > [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/) [Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/) [Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/) > [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/) [Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/) > [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/) [Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/) > ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/) [Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/) [Browse all 4,248 Actually quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actually/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If allowed, democracy does actually work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McDonnell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actually" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-mcdonnell-5730_actually_if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work_2365481.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-mcdonnell-5730_actually_if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work_2365481.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f0/john-mcdonnell-5730_actually_if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work_2365481.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If allowed, democracy does actually work.” — John McDonnell", "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": "John McDonnell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcdonnell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If allowed, democracy does actually work.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcdonnell/if-allowed-democracy-does-actually-work/#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 } } ] } ```