--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But democracy needs structure to work, in…" description: "\"But democracy needs structure to work, in the form of laws and policies.\" — Katty Kay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/katty-kay-8472_democracy_but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in_403204.jpg" --- # But democracy needs structure to work, in the form of laws… ![“But democracy needs structure to work, in the form of laws and policies.” quote by Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/katty-kay-8472_democracy_but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in_403204.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/katty-kay-8472_democracy_but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in_403204.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/katty-kay-8472_democracy_but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in_403204.jpg) > “But democracy needs structure to work, in the form of laws and policies.” [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) ## 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 organized laws and policies to function effectively. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs rules to work. Key Takeaway Support strong institutions. Themes politics governance structure Mood serious informed Type political analytical When to use this quote - legislation - public administration - civic engagement Key Concepts democratic theory policy design rule of law Questions to Reflect On - How do laws balance order and freedom? - What reforms improve democratic function? A Different Perspective Rigid structures can stifle flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [It's strange, but something about lack of structure needs a structure itself. Otherwise, after a while, it's like looking at a Rothko painting or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barratt/it-s-strange-but-something-about-lack-of-structure-needs-a-structure/) [Julian Barratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barratt/) > [ The most important thing is that the work has to be solid \[in terms of its formal structure\] and that the work accomplishes what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-thiebaud/the-most-important-thing-is-that-the-work-has-to-be-solid-in-terms-of/) [Wayne Thiebaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-thiebaud/) > [“Most of the time, you'll be able to structure your work day around your peak energy times and your family's needs, rather than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-mckay/most-of-the-time-you-ll-be-able-to-structure-your-work-day-around/) [Corinne McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-mckay/) > [It's not just the war itself. It's what you do after the war and what structure you put in place and how you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hewson/it-s-not-just-the-war-itself-it-s-what-you-do-after-the-war-and-what/) [John Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hewson/) > [The fictive structure, my work, my imagination, my books are about the details, the huge construction about culture, Islamic culture or modern Turkey. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/the-fictive-structure-my-work-my-imagination-my-books-are-about-the/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [democracy ... is not something that occurs overnight. It is not a gift delivered on a golden tray. Democracy is a long process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/democracy-is-not-something-that-occurs-overnight-it-is-not-a-gift/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) > [“As heirs to a legacy more than two centuries old, it is understandable why present-day Americans would take their own democracy for granted. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/as-heirs-to-a-legacy-more-than-two-centuries-old-it-is-understandable/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I believe profoundly in the possibilities of democracy, but democracy needs to be emancipated from capitalism. As long as we inhabit a capitalist democracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/i-believe-profoundly-in-the-possibilities-of-democracy-but-democracy/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [Democracy needs support and the best support for democracy comes from other democracies. Democratic nations should come together in an association designed to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-needs-support-and-the-best-support-for-democracy-comes-from-2/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [Democracy needs to be nurtured and treated with care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lowy/democracy-needs-to-be-nurtured-and-treated-with-care/) [Frank Lowy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lowy/) > [But our perfect democracy, which neither needs nor particularly wants voters, is a rarity. It is important to remember there still exist many other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/but-our-perfect-democracy-which-neither-needs-nor-particularly-wants/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [The most important newspapers in this country need to exist. Our democracy needs them. Life as we know it would be unthinkable without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-weisberg/the-most-important-newspapers-in-this-country-need-to-exist-our/) [Jacob Weisberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-weisberg/) > [Democracy needs support, and the best support for democracy comes from other democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-needs-support-and-the-best-support-for-democracy-comes-from/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [Democracy needs a moral compass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/democracy-needs-a-moral-compass/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Democracy needs to start with an open Presidential debate. So come on out and let's take back the promise of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/democracy-needs-to-start-with-an-open-presidential-debate-so-come-on/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) ## More by Katty Kay > [“For years, she had a debilitating habit. She would sit on the bus on the way home from her lab creating a long list…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/for-years-she-had-a-debilitating-habit-she-would-sit-on-the-bus-on/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Economists argue about the relative impact of immigrants versus robots on wage stagnation - voters don't care much. They blame immigrants. It's easier to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/economists-argue-about-the-relative-impact-of-immigrants-versus/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Globalisation, with inexorable speed, has changed the world we live in. For all of us. Jobs have changed, the way we trade has changed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/globalisation-with-inexorable-speed-has-changed-the-world-we-live-in/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [People are far too wrapped up in their own lives to care about what's happening to other people. Even if it is a moment's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/people-are-far-too-wrapped-up-in-their-own-lives-to-care-about-what-s/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [In Rwanda, which has gone through a devastating civil war and has a per-capita income of $16 per year, half of members of Parliament…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/in-rwanda-which-has-gone-through-a-devastating-civil-war-and-has-a/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [If you choose not to act, you have little chance of success. What’s more, when you choose to act, you’re able to succeed more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/if-you-choose-not-to-act-you-have-little-chance-of-success-what-s/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Politicians live in mortal terror of ever saying they are sorry about anything, because that would suggest they have been wrong. It is often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/politicians-live-in-mortal-terror-of-ever-saying-they-are-sorry-about/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [I read the news every night to millions of people around the world. It doesnt test my confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/i-read-the-news-every-night-to-millions-of-people-around-the-world-it/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Boris Johnson and Donald Trump appeal to the heart not the head, they offer simple solutions in a time of complex problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/boris-johnson-and-donald-trump-appeal-to-the-heart-not-the-head-they/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [My best teacher was my mother. She was a diplomats wife living in the Arab world in the 70s and 80s who always worked,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/my-best-teacher-was-my-mother-she-was-a-diplomats-wife-living-in-the/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [In normal circumstances, if you want a job done well, you chose someone with experience doing that job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/in-normal-circumstances-if-you-want-a-job-done-well-you-chose-someone/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [In the scheme of life, being moved aside from a job, however much you love it, is a small thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/in-the-scheme-of-life-being-moved-aside-from-a-job-however-much-you/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Im good at getting information and synthesizing it. Its not that I doubt myself on that. Its, do you have the Ph.D. first-class brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/im-good-at-getting-information-and-synthesizing-it-its-not-that-i/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [The skepticism that has grown up about elites is totally justified. Since 2008, no one has gone to jail on Wall Street for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/the-skepticism-that-has-grown-up-about-elites-is-totally-justified/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [Everybody fails, its no big deal. Its what being human is. Dont let that stop you from taking risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/everybody-fails-its-no-big-deal-its-what-being-human-is-dont-let-that/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) [Explore all 80 Katty Kay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) ## 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": "But democracy needs structure to work, in the form of laws and policies.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katty Kay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in-the-form-of-laws-and-policies/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in-the-form-of-laws-and-policies/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/katty-kay-8472_democracy_but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in_403204.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/katty-kay-8472_democracy_but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in_403204.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/katty-kay-8472_democracy_but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in_403204.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But democracy needs structure to work, in the form of laws and policies.” — Katty Kay", "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": "Katty Kay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But democracy needs structure to work,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in-the-form-of-laws-and-policies/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/but-democracy-needs-structure-to-work-in-the-form-of-laws-and-policies/#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 } } ] } ```