--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Too many people in the world associate…" description: "\"Too many people in the world associate democracy with their ability to go and buy more and more every year. I come from a country where it's much more ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/622/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-d_321350.jpg" --- # Too many people in the world associate democracy with… ![“Too many people in the world associate democracy with their ability to go and buy more and more every year. I come from a country where it's much more popular to remind people that democracy is available at every income level, and this is something which you need to protect.” quote by Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/622/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-d_321350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/622/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-d_321350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/622/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-d_321350.jpg) > “Too many people in the world associate democracy with their ability to go and buy more and more every year. I come from a country where it's much more popular to remind people that democracy is available at every income level, and this is something which you need to protect.” [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy should serve all income levels, not just enable consumerism; it requires protection across society. **In simple terms:** Democracy must be accessible to everyone, not just for buying more. Key Takeaway Guard democratic values for all citizens. Themes democracy equality citizen rights consumerism protection Mood concerned hopeful Type political reflective When to use this quote - policy debates - community meetings - education campaigns - voting initiatives Key Concepts social contract economic inclusion political participation Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure democracy serves low‑income groups? - What policies protect democratic access? A Different Perspective Economic focus can distract from democratic health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Associate Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/associate-democracy-3027596/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-ability-2782700/) [Democracy Available](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-available-1078972/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-democracy-660269/) [Too many people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-many-people/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [We naturally associate democracy, to be sure, with freedom of action, but freedom of action without freed capacity of thought behind it is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-naturally-associate-democracy-to-be-sure-with-freedom-of-action/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [Whether it is access to voting rights, representation in government, or the outsized influence of money in our political system, the opportunity to interact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/whether-it-is-access-to-voting-rights-representation-in-government-or/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) > [“The true nature of a democracy is its ability to say yes when even the powerful say no”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/the-true-nature-of-a-democracy-is-its-ability-to-say-yes-when-even/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [The foundation of our democracy is the ability to have a debate about any subject. That is why I am so committed to defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scheer/the-foundation-of-our-democracy-is-the-ability-to-have-a-debate-about/) [Andrew Scheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scheer/) > [Tolerance is important, especially in a democracy. The ability to have honest conversations, even if you come from a different place, a difference perspective,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-epstein/tolerance-is-important-especially-in-a-democracy-the-ability-to-have/) [Theo Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-epstein/) > [The truest test of a democracy is in the ability of anyone to act as he likes, so long as he does not injure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-truest-test-of-a-democracy-is-in-the-ability-of-anyone-to-act-as/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“But it is not necessarily the case that liberal democracy is the political system best suited to resolving social conflicts per se. A democracy's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fukuyama/but-it-is-not-necessarily-the-case-that-liberal-democracy-is-the/) [Francis Fukuyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fukuyama/) > [“One of the crucial traits of real leaders in a democracy is the ability to help people become better informed so that society can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-w-lewis/one-of-the-crucial-traits-of-real-leaders-in-a-democracy-is-the/) [William W. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-w-lewis/) > [People in a democracy should be satisfied with drawing the Government's attention to a mistake, if any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/people-in-a-democracy-should-be-satisfied-with-drawing-the-government/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [You have to ask the people about democracy. I know what my people want, and I cannot understand these people who violate peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramzan-kadyrov/you-have-to-ask-the-people-about-democracy-i-know-what-my-people-want/) [Ramzan Kadyrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramzan-kadyrov/) > [But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/but-after-all-it-is-the-leaders-of-the-country-who-determine-the/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [Nothing frightens the 'Jews' more than a perfect unity in others: the unity of feeling in a movement, in a people. That is why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corneliu-zelea-codreanu/nothing-frightens-the-jews-more-than-a-perfect-unity-in-others-the/) [Corneliu Zelea Codreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corneliu-zelea-codreanu/) > [Somehow we must be able to show people that democracy is not about words, but action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/somehow-we-must-be-able-to-show-people-that-democracy-is-not-about/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“So much hangs on the decisions of a small number of poorly educated people.” “That’s democracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/so-much-hangs-on-the-decisions-of-a-small-number-of-poorly-educated/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Democracy in books is, for the people, by the people, democracy on street is rule of the apes in a land of sheep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/democracy-in-books-is-for-the-people-by-the-people-democracy-on/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Kersti Kaljulaid > [Digital society is born when your people refuse to use paper. And in our country, we know that our people refuse to use paper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/digital-society-is-born-when-your-people-refuse-to-use-paper-and-in/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [My mother was a doctor, and I grew up with her in a little apartment belonging to my grandmother, because the Soviet Union never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/my-mother-was-a-doctor-and-i-grew-up-with-her-in-a-little-apartment/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [We have every reason to put our trust in NATO and in transatlantic cooperation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/we-have-every-reason-to-put-our-trust-in-nato-and-in-transatlantic/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [Not everything is so bad... Whichever way you look at it, we feel that we can face the future when the liberal, democracy-based world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/not-everything-is-so-bad-whichever-way-you-look-at-it-we-feel-that-we/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [As the president of Estonia, I represent the only truly digital society which actually has a state; almost all our citizens' interactions with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/as-the-president-of-estonia-i-represent-the-only-truly-digital/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [I don't want to sound like I'm a special type of Russia hater. There are very few heads of state in Europe that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/i-don-t-want-to-sound-like-i-m-a-special-type-of-russia-hater-there/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [I don't believe Russia would attack a NATO country or NATO as such, no matter which country we are talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/i-don-t-believe-russia-would-attack-a-nato-country-or-nato-as-such-no/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [I don't know of any problems countries in Europe are facing - environment, infrastructure, markets, market development, the fifth freedom being digital freedom, border…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/i-don-t-know-of-any-problems-countries-in-europe-are-facing/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [The E.U. is very popular in Estonia, and for very good reasons - not because Estonia has received considerable support from the E.U., but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/the-e-u-is-very-popular-in-estonia-and-for-very-good-reasons-not/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [Estonia maintains a two-language school system. I don't know many countries in the world that provide a system like ours. We are making sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/estonia-maintains-a-two-language-school-system-i-don-t-know-many/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [The problem is if Russia is organising exercises - and not being transparent about what exactly these exercises are about - it creates suspicions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/the-problem-is-if-russia-is-organising-exercises-and-not-being/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [People everywhere in the world have Russian connections. There is nothing wrong with having Russian connections as long as you're transparent about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/people-everywhere-in-the-world-have-russian-connections-there-is/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [We are past the stage in our relations that you come to Washington with an empty goody bag and then you go back with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/we-are-past-the-stage-in-our-relations-that-you-come-to-washington/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [Our people are willing to work with the government on new technologies. Now, it's a habit; every Estonian looks at it as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/our-people-are-willing-to-work-with-the-government-on-new/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) > [Sometimes I hear, particularly from Russia, that we simply hate Russia and don't like to co-operate, that we are hysterical about the risks. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/sometimes-i-hear-particularly-from-russia-that-we-simply-hate-russia/) [Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) [Explore all 43 Kersti Kaljulaid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [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/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Too many people in the world associate democracy with their ability to go and buy more and more every year. I come from a country where it's much more popular to remind people that democracy is available at every income level, and this is something which you need to protect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kersti Kaljulaid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-democracy-with-their-ability/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-democracy-with-their-ability/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/622/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-d_321350.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/622/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-d_321350.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/622/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-d_321350.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Too many people in the world associate democracy with their ability to go and buy more and more every year…” — Kersti Kaljulaid", "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": "Kersti Kaljulaid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Too many people in the world...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-democracy-with-their-ability/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-democracy-with-their-ability/#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 } } ] } ```