--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think we can have democracies…" description: "\"I don't think we can have democracies that work where most of the people are not benefiting economically, where most of the people are worried about th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/joseph-stiglitz-1351_cybersecurity_i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-th_664128.jpg" --- # I don't think we can have democracies that work where most… ![“I don't think we can have democracies that work where most of the people are not benefiting economically, where most of the people are worried about their job security.” quote by Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/joseph-stiglitz-1351_cybersecurity_i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-th_664128.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/joseph-stiglitz-1351_cybersecurity_i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-th_664128.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/joseph-stiglitz-1351_cybersecurity_i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-th_664128.jpg) > “I don't think we can have democracies that work where most of the people are not benefiting economically, where most of the people are worried about their job security.” [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democratic stability depends on broad economic well‑being; widespread insecurity erodes political legitimacy. **In simple terms:** Democracies need economic security for most people to function. Key Takeaway Address economic inequality to sustain democracy. Themes economy politics social stability Mood concerned analytical Type political economic. When to use this quote - policy making - labor negotiations - community organizing - voting decisions Key Concepts inequality social contract political legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - How can policies balance growth with equitable security? - What role does social safety nets play in democratic health? A Different Perspective Economic growth alone may not solve deep structural disparities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Democracies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Job security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-security/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“This is how we tend to think of democracies dying: at the hands of men with guns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitsky/this-is-how-we-tend-to-think-of-democracies-dying-at-the-hands-of-men/) [Steven Levitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitsky/) > [We so often tend to think our democracies are ruled by procedures and laws, but they are also governed by implicit rules and assumptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/we-so-often-tend-to-think-our-democracies-are-ruled-by-procedures-and/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Democracies succeed or fail based on their journalism. America is strong because its journalism is strong. That is how democracies work. They're only as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/democracies-succeed-or-fail-based-on-their-journalism-america-is/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [The country is only as strong as its journalism - that's the way democracies work. The higher the quality of the information, the better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/the-country-is-only-as-strong-as-its-journalism-that-s-the-way/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [America is strong because its journalism is strong. That's how democracies work. They're only as good as the quality of the information that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-pelley/america-is-strong-because-its-journalism-is-strong-that-s-how/) [Scott Pelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-pelley/) > [I've made the comment that democracies work slower than dictatorships. That's a true thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gosling/i-ve-made-the-comment-that-democracies-work-slower-than-dictatorships/) [James Gosling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gosling/) > [Portugal is not doing well economically. People are upset and angry. You can feel it on the street. You can tell in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-ruah/portugal-is-not-doing-well-economically-people-are-upset-and-angry/) [Daniela Ruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-ruah/) > [ I think democracies are prone to inflation because politicians will naturally spend \[excessively\] - they have the power to print money and will use… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-democracies-are-prone-to-inflation-because-politicians-will/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Rather than risk starting their own businesses, most people seek safer environments, preferring job security to freedom and a steady paycheck to greater wealth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/rather-than-risk-starting-their-own-businesses-most-people-seek-safer/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Nursing is great for so many reasons, but there is one reason that means more than any poll results, amount of money, or job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-wilson/nursing-is-great-for-so-many-reasons-but-there-is-one-reason-that/) Brittney Wilson > [I like to have job security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-ferguson/i-like-to-have-job-security/) [Tony Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-ferguson/) > [Having more exposure is kind of a bittersweet thing for me, honestly, because it's nice to have a little more job security in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/having-more-exposure-is-kind-of-a-bittersweet-thing-for-me-honestly/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [There is one safeguard known generally to the wise, which is an advantage and security to all, but especially to democracies as against despots.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demosthenes/there-is-one-safeguard-known-generally-to-the-wise-which-is-an/) [Demosthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demosthenes/) > [Most middle-class people I know don't really live like me. Middle-class people worry a lot about money. They worry a lot about job security,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/most-middle-class-people-i-know-don-t-really-live-like-me-middle/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) ## More by Joseph Stiglitz > [I grew up in a family in which political issues were often discussed, and debated intensely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-grew-up-in-a-family-in-which-political-issues-were-often-discussed/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [But individuals and firms spend an enormous amount of resources acquiring information, which affects their beliefs; and actions of others too affect their beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/but-individuals-and-firms-spend-an-enormous-amount-of-resources/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [China, with its large emerging middle class, is among the big beneficiaries of globalization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/china-with-its-large-emerging-middle-class-is-among-the-big/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Trickle-down economics is a myth. 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So the war did help the US economy to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/world-war-ii-was-really-unusual-because-america-was-in-the-great/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Moreover, because we chose to finance the way by borrowing, our deficits and debt has soared, and this means we have less room for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/moreover-because-we-chose-to-finance-the-way-by-borrowing-our/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I've always been sceptical about the notion that the market is a person you can engage in an argument with, and that that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-ve-always-been-sceptical-about-the-notion-that-the-market-is-a/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [The striking thing about America is - it's historically, extraordinary unusual,I don't of any other instance - is that productivity of workers and wages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-striking-thing-about-america-is-it-s-historically-extraordinary/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) [Explore all 251 Joseph Stiglitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) ## More Cybersecurity quotes > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Our engagement through international economics, trade, these trade agreements, is vital and is linked to our national security. This is a lesson we learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/our-engagement-through-international-economics-trade-these-trade/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/responsibility-to-yourself-means-refusing-to-let-others-do-your/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I'm also the chairman of the board of Symantec, which is the world's largest cybersecurity - software cybersecurity company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/i-m-also-the-chairman-of-the-board-of-symantec-which-is-the-world-s/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Fraud will always exist. Enforcement of anti-fraud laws is a useful deterrent, but in the end there's no substitute for investor vigilance. Government regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/fraud-will-always-exist-enforcement-of-anti-fraud-laws-is-a-useful/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [As president, things that you're supposed to focus on, things like the economy, like energy policy, which is completely tied to national security, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/as-president-things-that-you-re-supposed-to-focus-on-things-like-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [The U.S. cannot impose freedom, security, and unity in Iraq by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/the-u-s-cannot-impose-freedom-security-and-unity-in-iraq-by-force/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [Men who have lived significant lives are men who never waited: not for money, security, ease, or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/men-who-have-lived-significant-lives-are-men-who-never-waited-not-for/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [The purpose of the military is to close with and destroy the enemy on behalf of our national security priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/the-purpose-of-the-military-is-to-close-with-and-destroy-the-enemy-on/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) [Browse all 6,947 Cybersecurity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think we can have democracies that work where most of the people are not benefiting economically, where most of the people are worried about their job security.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Stiglitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-that-work-where-most-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cybersecurity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-that-work-where-most-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/joseph-stiglitz-1351_cybersecurity_i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-th_664128.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/joseph-stiglitz-1351_cybersecurity_i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-th_664128.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/976/joseph-stiglitz-1351_cybersecurity_i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-th_664128.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think we can have democracies that work where most of the people are not benefiting economically…” — Joseph Stiglitz", "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": "Joseph Stiglitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think we can have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-that-work-where-most-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-don-t-think-we-can-have-democracies-that-work-where-most-of-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 } } ] } ```