--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is not meant to be efficient…" description: "\"Democracy is not meant to be efficient, it is meant to be fair.\" — Mario Cuomo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/mario-cuomo-4807_democracy_democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-i_830445.png" --- # Democracy is not meant to be efficient, it is meant to be… ![“Democracy is not meant to be efficient, it is meant to be fair.” quote by Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/mario-cuomo-4807_democracy_democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-i_830445.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/mario-cuomo-4807_democracy_democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-i_830445.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/mario-cuomo-4807_democracy_democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-i_830445.png) > “Democracy is not meant to be efficient, it is meant to be fair.” [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy prioritizes fairness over speed, valuing equal voice rather than quick decisions. **In simple terms:** Democracy is about fairness, not efficiency. Key Takeaway Support policies that protect equitable participation. Themes democracy fairness efficiency Mood thoughtful optimistic Type political inspirational When to use this quote - elections - legislative processes - public policy debates - community decision‑making Key Concepts political theory social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance fairness with timely action? - When is efficiency justified over fairness? A Different Perspective Efficiency can be essential in crises, creating tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fair/) [Productivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productivity/) ## Related quotes > [“Someone once told me that life wasn't fair...and they were right. But I don't think that life was ever meant to be fair or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-garber/someone-once-told-me-that-life-wasn-t-fair-and-they-were-right-but-i/) Nicole Garber > [“The profit was five, split evenly between the two of us, which meant that my fair share was three. (2.5 rounded off is 3.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-profit-was-five-split-evenly-between-the-two-of-us-which-meant/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [If life was meant to be fair effort would mean nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/if-life-was-meant-to-be-fair-effort-would-mean-nothing/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [“Love always won in the end. No matter how it happened, no matter what it took, no matter what it meant. Fair or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-novak/love-always-won-in-the-end-no-matter-how-it-happened-no-matter-what/) [B.J. Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-novak/) > [Ironically, the very fact that democracy has such a lengthy history has actually contributed to confusion and disagreement, for 'democracy' has meant different things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-dahl/ironically-the-very-fact-that-democracy-has-such-a-lengthy-history/) [Robert A. Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-dahl/) > [I would say democracy once meant an organizational society and a state, in which the individual citizen is - feels - responsible, and acts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/i-would-say-democracy-once-meant-an-organizational-society-and-a/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [How can there be democracy if the leadership in the United States and Britain don't uphold the values which my father's generation fought the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-redgrave/how-can-there-be-democracy-if-the-leadership-in-the-united-states-and/) [Vanessa Redgrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-redgrave/) > [Democracy, if it meant what our forefathers said, that would be great, but unfortunately it's been corrupted by this funding and funding of campaigns.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/democracy-if-it-meant-what-our-forefathers-said-that-would-be-great/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [A lot of people say that India has been held back by its democracy. But let's remember that, despite being a poor country, India's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-tabarrok/a-lot-of-people-say-that-india-has-been-held-back-by-its-democracy-2/) [Alex Tabarrok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-tabarrok/) > [“Democracy meant all men were to be heard, and a decision was taken together as a people. Majority rule was a foreign notion. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/democracy-meant-all-men-were-to-be-heard-and-a-decision-was-taken/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“In early Greek society, particularly in Athens, democracy meant the equivalent of a permanent town meeting—all decisions of consequence were made in public assembly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/in-early-greek-society-particularly-in-athens-democracy-meant-the/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [A lot of people say that India has been held back by its democracy. But lets remember that, despite being a poor country, Indias…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-tabarrok/a-lot-of-people-say-that-india-has-been-held-back-by-its-democracy/) [Alex Tabarrok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-tabarrok/) > [I have heard the critics. What they are spewing are lies, nothing more. My defense policy calls for an efficient and strong military for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-have-heard-the-critics-what-they-are-spewing-are-lies-nothing-more/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Normally, it's more efficient to climb fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ondra/normally-it-s-more-efficient-to-climb-fast/) [Adam Ondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ondra/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) ## More by Mario Cuomo > [There is a respectable body of economic thought that holds that casino gambling is actually economically regressive to a state and a community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/there-is-a-respectable-body-of-economic-thought-that-holds-that/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [We believe in a government that is characterized by fairness and reasonableness, a reasonableness that goes beyond labels, that doesn't distort or promise to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/we-believe-in-a-government-that-is-characterized-by-fairness-and/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [America was born in outrageous ambition, so bold as to be improbable. The deprived, the oppressed, the powerless from all over the globe came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/america-was-born-in-outrageous-ambition-so-bold-as-to-be-improbable/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [The biggest aggravation in the Arab world, the biggest reason for their anger toward us and the creation of those suicide terrorists, is Israel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-biggest-aggravation-in-the-arab-world-the-biggest-reason-for/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Nobody has ever gotten a bigger push than Bill Clinton gave to Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/nobody-has-ever-gotten-a-bigger-push-than-bill-clinton-gave-to-obama/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [It is not a government's obligation to provide services, but to see that they are provided.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/it-is-not-a-government-s-obligation-to-provide-services-but-to-see/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [My favorite thought about Abraham Lincoln is he believed in two things: loving one another and working together to make this world better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/my-favorite-thought-about-abraham-lincoln-is-he-believed-in-two/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [9/11 occurs, and you're going to rebuild, and after awhile, the memory will be there, but there will be something new there, and different,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/9-11-occurs-and-you-re-going-to-rebuild-and-after-awhile-the-memory/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [The Mafia is a question every time an Italian raises his head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-mafia-is-a-question-every-time-an-italian-raises-his-head/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [People asked me what I want as an epitaph: 'He tried'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/people-asked-me-what-i-want-as-an-epitaph-he-tried/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [I had not even thought of running for president until one day in 1991, at a small fund-raiser, completely unanticipated, someone stood up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-had-not-even-thought-of-running-for-president-until-one-day-in-1991/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [I protect my right to be a Catholic by preserving your right to believe as a Jew, a Protestant, or non-believer, or as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-protect-my-right-to-be-a-catholic-by-preserving-your-right-to/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [I love immigrants. Legal, illegal - they're not to be despised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/i-love-immigrants-legal-illegal-they-re-not-to-be-despised/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [Barack Obama is probably one of the brightest in terms of sheer intelligence... also probably the best orator we've ever had as a president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/barack-obama-is-probably-one-of-the-brightest-in-terms-of-sheer/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [The American people need no course in philosophy or political science of church history to know that God should not be made into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/the-american-people-need-no-course-in-philosophy-or-political-science/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) [Explore all 105 Mario Cuomo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) ## 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": "Democracy is not meant to be efficient, it is meant to be fair.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mario Cuomo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-it-is-meant-to-be-fair/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-it-is-meant-to-be-fair/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/mario-cuomo-4807_democracy_democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-i_830445.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/mario-cuomo-4807_democracy_democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-i_830445.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/mario-cuomo-4807_democracy_democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-i_830445.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Democracy is not meant to be efficient, it is meant to be fair.” — Mario Cuomo", "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": "Mario Cuomo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Democracy is not meant to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-it-is-meant-to-be-fair/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/democracy-is-not-meant-to-be-efficient-it-is-meant-to-be-fair/#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 } } ] } ```