--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy, if it is reasonable, limits…" description: "\"Democracy, if it is reasonable, limits itself to giving everyone an equal opportunity to compete and to obtain.\" — Napoleon Bonaparte" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/napoleon-bonaparte-206_democracy_democracy-if-it-is-reasonable-limits-its_231193.jpg" --- # Democracy, if it is reasonable, limits itself to giving… ![“Democracy, if it is reasonable, limits itself to giving everyone an equal opportunity to compete and to obtain.” quote by Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/napoleon-bonaparte-206_democracy_democracy-if-it-is-reasonable-limits-its_231193.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/napoleon-bonaparte-206_democracy_democracy-if-it-is-reasonable-limits-its_231193.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/napoleon-bonaparte-206_democracy_democracy-if-it-is-reasonable-limits-its_231193.jpg) > “Democracy, if it is reasonable, limits itself to giving everyone an equal opportunity to compete and to obtain.” [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## 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 provide equal competitive chances, but only if it remains reasonable and does not become chaotic. **In simple terms:** Democracy offers equal competition if reasonable. Key Takeaway Ensure fairness while maintaining order. Themes politics fairness competition Mood analytical critical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - elections - job markets - academic admissions - sports leagues Key Concepts social contract rule of law Questions to Reflect On - What limits should be set for fairness? - How to balance equality with excellence? A Different Perspective Too much equality can lead to mediocrity if standards drop. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Reasonable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-reasonable-2340203/) [Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal/) [Equal opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-opportunity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-compete-866560/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Reasonable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasonable/) [Reasonable Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasonable-limits-2340204/) ## Related quotes > [Within reasonable limits, a professional player should keep busy at music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-wilson/within-reasonable-limits-a-professional-player-should-keep-busy-at/) [Teddy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-wilson/) > [I just want to be somewhere where I'm wanted and an opportunity to compete and help the guys around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mccourty/i-just-want-to-be-somewhere-where-i-m-wanted-and-an-opportunity-to/) [Jason McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mccourty/) > [When I look back over my career, having an opportunity to compete against really good players like Lester Hayes are some of the highlights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/when-i-look-back-over-my-career-having-an-opportunity-to-compete/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [It's my whole life, brother. 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Land, monuments, Nations, all fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reputation-is-a-great-noise-the-more-there-is-of-it-and-the/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Character is victory organized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/character-is-victory-organized/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Republican despotism is more fertile in acts of tyranny, because everyone has a hand in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/republican-despotism-is-more-fertile-in-acts-of-tyranny-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [My decision to destroy the authority of the blacks in Saint Domingue (Haiti) is not so much based on considerations of commerce and money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/my-decision-to-destroy-the-authority-of-the-blacks-in-saint-domingue/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [The army is the true nobility of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-army-is-the-true-nobility-of-our-country/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [There is only one favorable moment in war; talent consists in knowing how to seize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/there-is-only-one-favorable-moment-in-war-talent-consists-in-knowing/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [A great reserve and severity of manners are necessary for the command of those who are older than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-great-reserve-and-severity-of-manners-are-necessary-for-the-command/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) [Explore all 914 Napoleon Bonaparte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. 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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. 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