--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best defence [for a democracy, for…" description: "\"The best defence [for a democracy, for the public good] is aggressiveness, the aggressiveness of the involved citizen. We need to reassert that slow, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-ralston-saul-3128_aggressiveness_the-best-defence-for-a-democracy-for-the_1365828.jpg" --- # The best defence \[for a democracy, for the public good\] is… ![“The best defence [for a democracy, for the public good] is aggressiveness, the aggressiveness of the involved citizen. We need to reassert that slow, time-consuming, inefficient, boring process that requires our involvement; it is called 'being a citizen.' The public good is not something that you…” quote by John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-ralston-saul-3128_aggressiveness_the-best-defence-for-a-democracy-for-the_1365828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-ralston-saul-3128_aggressiveness_the-best-defence-for-a-democracy-for-the_1365828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/612/john-ralston-saul-3128_aggressiveness_the-best-defence-for-a-democracy-for-the_1365828.jpg) > “The best defence \[for a democracy, for the public good\] is aggressiveness, the aggressiveness of the involved citizen. We need to reassert that slow, time-consuming, inefficient, boring process that requires our involvement; it is called 'being a citizen.' The public good is not something that you can see. It is not static. It is a process. It is the process by which democratic civilizations build themselves.” [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Active, engaged citizenship is essential for democracy; participation may be slow and tedious but builds the public good. **In simple terms:** Citizens must stay involved despite inconvenience. Key Takeaway Participate actively in civic life. Themes democracy citizenship public good Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - voting - community meetings - public advocacy Key Concepts civic engagement social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can societies make civic duties more appealing? - What incentives encourage consistent participation? A Different Perspective Citizen fatigue can hinder sustained involvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggressiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressiveness/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Public good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-good/) ## Related quotes > [“Defending democracy" also sounds fine; but to defend democracy by military means, one must be militarily efficient and one cannot become militarily efficient without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/defending-democracy-also-sounds-fine-but-to-defend-democracy-by/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [The defence of democracy must consist in making anti-democratic experiences too costly for those who try them; much more costly than a democratic compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/the-defence-of-democracy-must-consist-in-making-anti-democratic/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Process tells us how. Purpose tells us why. But in reality, it is academic to draw a line between them, they are part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-d-alinsky/process-tells-us-how-purpose-tells-us-why-but-in-reality-it-is/) [Saul D. Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-d-alinsky/) > [What my job is, is to get on with getting the process of democratic politics, back on the road, entrenching the peace settlement, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hain/what-my-job-is-is-to-get-on-with-getting-the-process-of-democratic/) [Peter Hain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hain/) > [We need to decouple the movement for comprehensive immigration reform and justice for immigrants from the legislative process and from the Democratic Party process.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-gutierrez/we-need-to-decouple-the-movement-for-comprehensive-immigration-reform/) [Luis Gutierrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-gutierrez/) > [How is it possible that a process can be democratic when it comes by way of money? If there is money then it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-castro-espin/how-is-it-possible-that-a-process-can-be-democratic-when-it-comes-by/) [Alejandro Castro Espin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-castro-espin/) > [In a democracy, the public has a right to know not only what the government decides, but why and by what process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-r-ford/in-a-democracy-the-public-has-a-right-to-know-not-only-what-the/) [Gerald R. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-r-ford/) > [The only force at the disposal of democracy is that of public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-only-force-at-the-disposal-of-democracy-is-that-of-public-opinion/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Nationalisation...does not in itself engender greater equality, more jobs in the regions, higher investment or industrial democracy. The public knows this perfectly well, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-crosland/nationalisation-does-not-in-itself-engender-greater-equality-more/) [Anthony Crosland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-crosland/) > [Did you, too, O friend, suppose democracy was only for elections, for politics, and for a party name? I say democracy is only of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/did-you-too-o-friend-suppose-democracy-was-only-for-elections-for/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [In a democracy, the public should be asked how much security and how much privacy they want for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-mosley/in-a-democracy-the-public-should-be-asked-how-much-security-and-how/) [Max Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-mosley/) > [Because America is a democracy, public support for presidential foreign-policy decisions is essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/because-america-is-a-democracy-public-support-for-presidential/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [The acceptance of corporatism causes us to deny and undermine the legitimacy of the individual as citizen in a democracy. The result of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-acceptance-of-corporatism-causes-us-to-deny-and-undermine-the/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [The most powerful force possessed by the individual citizen is her own government. ... Government is the only organized mechanism that makes possible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-most-powerful-force-possessed-by-the-individual-citizen-is-her/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Our civilization is locked in the grip of an ideology - corporatism. An ideology that denies and undermines the legitimacy of individuals as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/our-civilization-is-locked-in-the-grip-of-an-ideology-corporatism-an/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) ## More by John Ralston Saul > [Of course, corporations and governments have a right to something for their money. They pay the wages. But they don't have the ethical right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/of-course-corporations-and-governments-have-a-right-to-something-for/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Some people don't like the 'comeback' because that suggests they went somewhere, which they didn't. That isn't what I mean. In my mind, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/some-people-don-t-like-the-comeback-because-that-suggests-they-went/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [In the humanist ideal, the mainstream is where interesting debate, the generating of new ideas and creativity take place. In rational society this mainstream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/in-the-humanist-ideal-the-mainstream-is-where-interesting-debate-the/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [There's two ways of dealing with fears of mortality. One of them is to hide, so every day you wear the same suit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/there-s-two-ways-of-dealing-with-fears-of-mortality-one-of-them-is-to/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [A foreigner is an individual who is considered either comic or sinister. 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(V -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/rights-are-a-protection-from-society-but-only-by-fulfilling-their/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [All the lessons of psychiatry, psychology, social work, indeed culture, have taught us over the last hundred years that it is the acceptance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/all-the-lessons-of-psychiatry-psychology-social-work-indeed-culture/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [The neo-conservatives, who are closely linked to the neo-corporatists, are rather different. They claim to be conservatives, when everything they stand for is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-neo-conservatives-who-are-closely-linked-to-the-neo-corporatists/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Armaments; extremely useful for fighting wars, a deadweight in any civil economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/armaments-extremely-useful-for-fighting-wars-a-deadweight-in-any/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [In the European tradition, rivers are seen as divisions between peoples. But in the Aboriginal tradition, rivers are seen as the glue, the highway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/in-the-european-tradition-rivers-are-seen-as-divisions-between/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [“Basic technical training is, of course, useful. But to treat it as anything more than that is to lock students into technology that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/basic-technical-training-is-of-course-useful-but-to-treat-it-as/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Bankers - pillars of society who are going to hell if there is a God and He has been accurately quoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/bankers-pillars-of-society-who-are-going-to-hell-if-there-is-a-god/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [If allowed to run free of the social system, capitalism will attempt to corrupt and undermine democracy, which is after all not a natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/if-allowed-to-run-free-of-the-social-system-capitalism-will-attempt/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [For about 125 years, give or take, the Canadian government has acted extremely badly - even in a way which should be called evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/for-about-125-years-give-or-take-the-canadian-government-has-acted/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Ten geographers who think the world is flat will tend to reinforce each other's errors ... Only a sailor can set them straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/ten-geographers-who-think-the-world-is-flat-will-tend-to-reinforce/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) [Explore all 139 John Ralston Saul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) ## More Aggressiveness quotes > [As far as I'm concerned, Parnelli Jones was the greatest driver of his era. He had aggressiveness and also a finesse that no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-parnelli-jones-was-the-greatest-driver-of-his/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [As regards my means of expression, I try my hardest to achieve the maximum of clarity, power, and plastic aggressiveness; a physical sensation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-miro/as-regards-my-means-of-expression-i-try-my-hardest-to-achieve-the/) [Joan Miro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-miro/) > [People wonder where I get my aggressiveness. Since I was 8 I've been racing that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailie-deegan/people-wonder-where-i-get-my-aggressiveness-since-i-was-8-i-ve-been/) [Hailie Deegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailie-deegan/) > [ We know that Donald Trump has shown a very troubling willingness to back up \[Vladimir\] Putin, to support Putin, whether it's saying that NATO… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-know-that-donald-trump-has-shown-a-very-troubling-willingness-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they work. They need to know the universe of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/educators-need-to-know-what-happens-in-the-world-of-the-children-with/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [I don’t eat meat because meat brings out negative qualities such as fear, anger, anxiety, aggressiveness, etc. Vegetables peacefully offer themselves to the earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-santana/i-don-t-eat-meat-because-meat-brings-out-negative-qualities-such-as/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-santana/) > [The main thing about Bruce Lee is that, he was a little guy. And you know, his quickness, his aggressiveness, his explosive power, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-main-thing-about-bruce-lee-is-that-he-was-a-little-guy-and-you/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) > [In my experience with EEG Biofeedback and ADD, many people are able to improve their reading skills and decrease their need for medication. Also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-amen/in-my-experience-with-eeg-biofeedback-and-add-many-people-are-able-to/) [Daniel Amen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-amen/) > [In the creation of a garden, the architect invites the partnership of the Kingdom of Nature. In a beautiful garden the majesty of nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-barragan/in-the-creation-of-a-garden-the-architect-invites-the-partnership-of/) [Luis Barragan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-barragan/) > [“You’ve got to give it to Trump—he’s hateful, but it’s hard to look away from him. 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We lived through two terms of George…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-was-trying-to-find-out-what-happened-in-my-lifetime-because-i-was/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [The curse of modern times is the preponderance of male hormones in places where they can do long-term damage. Even if were not talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-james-waller/the-curse-of-modern-times-is-the-preponderance-of-male-hormones-in/) [Robert James Waller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-james-waller/) [Browse all 90 Aggressiveness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressiveness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best defence [for a democracy, for the public good] is aggressiveness, the aggressiveness of the involved citizen. We need to reassert that slow, time-consuming, inefficient, boring process that requires our involvement; it is called 'being a citizen.' 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