--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is like a great play. It lasts…" description: "\"“Democracy is like a great play. It lasts more than one act. You must be patient,”\" — Michael Dobbs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-dobbs-30503_democracy_democracy-is-like-a-great-play-it-lasts_2975893.jpg" --- # Democracy is like a great play. It lasts more than one… ![“Democracy is like a great play. It lasts more than one act. You must be patient,” quote by Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-dobbs-30503_democracy_democracy-is-like-a-great-play-it-lasts_2975893.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-dobbs-30503_democracy_democracy-is-like-a-great-play-it-lasts_2975893.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-dobbs-30503_democracy_democracy-is-like-a-great-play-it-lasts_2975893.jpg) > ““Democracy is like a great play. It lasts more than one act. You must be patient,”” [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) ## 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 patience and endurance, like a multi‑act play that continues beyond a single event. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs patience over time. Key Takeaway Practice patience in civic engagement. Themes democracy patience political process Mood concerned hopeful Type political reflective When to use this quote - political activism - community meetings Key Concepts civic education governance public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens stay patient yet proactive? - What role does urgency play in democracy? A Different Perspective Patience alone won’t fix systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [“We are all fragments of the Source that have chosen to have an experience outside of Source and play different roles in a theatrical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasun-ether/we-are-all-fragments-of-the-source-that-have-chosen-to-have-an/) [Jasun Ether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasun-ether/) > [Everything sells. Like integrity. Like democracy. Like truth. Like deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/everything-sells-like-integrity-like-democracy-like-truth-like-deeds/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [Voting in particular is an embarrassment, being a public display of weak character and low intelligence. Let us face the truth: Democracy, like spitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-reed/voting-in-particular-is-an-embarrassment-being-a-public-display-of/) [Fred Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-reed/) > [It would be great to play until I'm 40 like Ryan Giggs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/it-would-be-great-to-play-until-i-m-40-like-ryan-giggs/) [Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/) > [Democracy is like a streetcar. When you come to your stop, you get off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/recep-tayyip-erdogan/democracy-is-like-a-streetcar-when-you-come-to-your-stop-you-get-off/) [Recep Tayyip Erdogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/recep-tayyip-erdogan/) > [Communism needs democracy like the human body needs oxygen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/communism-needs-democracy-like-the-human-body-needs-oxygen/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [“the instinct of democracy is like the instinct of one woman, wild but quite right”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-instinct-of-democracy-is-like-the-instinct-of-one-woman-wild-but/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [But you have to understand, American democracy is not like the system you have. We're not an ocean liner that sails across the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/but-you-have-to-understand-american-democracy-is-not-like-the-system/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [“Democracy is like a tamborine - not everyone can be trusted with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/democracy-is-like-a-tamborine-not-everyone-can-be-trusted-with-it/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Don't expect other nations to have a democracy like ours - they don't have enough lawyers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cullen-hightower/don-t-expect-other-nations-to-have-a-democracy-like-ours-they-don-t/) [Cullen Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cullen-hightower/) > ['Chinese Democracy' wasn't trying to tell China to have a democracy or anything like that. I don't have an opinion on what kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/axl-rose/chinese-democracy-wasn-t-trying-to-tell-china-to-have-a-democracy-or/) [Axl Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/axl-rose/) > [Democracy .. is like taking a shit and hold again while](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattias-konradsson/democracy-is-like-taking-a-shit-and-hold-again-while/) [Mattias Konradsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattias-konradsson/) > [Democracy is like a raft: It won't sink, but you will always have your feet wet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-b-long/democracy-is-like-a-raft-it-won-t-sink-but-you-will-always-have-your/) [Russell B. Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-b-long/) > [I like democracy. I like to be able to throw out my political leaders when they get things wrong, and we don't get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/i-like-democracy-i-like-to-be-able-to-throw-out-my-political-leaders/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [Democracy is like blowing your nose. You may not do it well, but it's something you ought to do yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/democracy-is-like-blowing-your-nose-you-may-not-do-it-well-but-it-s/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## More by Michael Dobbs > [“This will not be easy,’ he said. ‘Neither is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/this-will-not-be-easy-he-said-neither-is-failure/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“O’Neill jumped out into the road, jammed a note into the driver’s hand, and dodged another motorcyclist as he made his way past the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/o-neill-jumped-out-into-the-road-jammed-a-note-into-the-driver-s-hand/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“His deepest need was that people should like him. An admirable trait that; in a spaniel. Or a whore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/his-deepest-need-was-that-people-should-like-him-an-admirable-trait/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“Bismarck defined political intuition as the ability to hear, before anybody else, “the distant hoofbeats of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/bismarck-defined-political-intuition-as-the-ability-to-hear-before/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“The most enduring lesson of the Cuban missile crisis is that, in a world with nuclear weapons, a classic military victory is an illusion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/the-most-enduring-lesson-of-the-cuban-missile-crisis-is-that-in-a/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“The closest contact they had with the enemy was a playful sign that boasted: “Worldwide delivery in 30 minutes or less—or your next one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/the-closest-contact-they-had-with-the-enemy-was-a-playful-sign-that/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“I’m an Englishman, after all,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/i-m-an-englishman-after-all/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“You might very well think that - I couldn't possibly comment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/you-might-very-well-think-that-i-couldn-t-possibly-comment/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“And even if fairies built a nest in the bottom of my garden and it should turn out that I have to live for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/and-even-if-fairies-built-a-nest-in-the-bottom-of-my-garden-and-it/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“JFK's great virtue, and the essential difference between him and George W. Bush, was that he had an instinctive appreciation for the chaotic forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/jfk-s-great-virtue-and-the-essential-difference-between-him-and/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“Politics requires sacrifice. The sacrifice of others, of course.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/politics-requires-sacrifice-the-sacrifice-of-others-of-course/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“It’s not respect but fear that motivates a man; that’s how empires are built and revolutions begin. It is the secret of great men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/it-s-not-respect-but-fear-that-motivates-a-man-that-s-how-empires-are/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“Politics. The word is taken from the Ancient Greek. “Poly” means “many.” And ticks are tiny, bloodsucking insects.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/politics-the-word-is-taken-from-the-ancient-greek-poly-means-many-and/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“Some people come to the edge of the cliff and they look over, then run away in fear. They never realize it's possible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/some-people-come-to-the-edge-of-the-cliff-and-they-look-over-then-run/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [“Why waste a life in search of an epitaph? ‘Fondly Remembered’. Who other than a halfwit has that chiselled above his head?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/why-waste-a-life-in-search-of-an-epitaph-fondly-remembered-who-other/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) [Explore all 17 Michael Dobbs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) ## 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 like a great play. It lasts more than one act. 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