--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason societies with democratic…" description: "\"The reason societies with democratic governments are better places to live in than their alternatives isn't because of some goodness intrinsic to democ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/nathan-myhrvold-3298_alternatives_the-reason-societies-with-democratic-gov_1664712.jpg" --- # The reason societies with democratic governments are… ![“The reason societies with democratic governments are better places to live in than their alternatives isn't because of some goodness intrinsic to democracy, but because its hopeless inefficiency helps blunt the basic potential for evil.” quote by Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/nathan-myhrvold-3298_alternatives_the-reason-societies-with-democratic-gov_1664712.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/nathan-myhrvold-3298_alternatives_the-reason-societies-with-democratic-gov_1664712.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/nathan-myhrvold-3298_alternatives_the-reason-societies-with-democratic-gov_1664712.jpg) > “The reason societies with democratic governments are better places to live in than their alternatives isn't because of some goodness intrinsic to democracy, but because its hopeless inefficiency helps blunt the basic potential for evil.” [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy may seem inefficient, but that very inefficiency limits the capacity for large-scale evil, making societies more livable. **In simple terms:** Democracy’s flaws keep power from becoming too harmful. Key Takeaway Value systems as its it flaws. Themes politics government ethics societal structure Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - public policy design - civic education - government reform - conflict resolution Key Concepts checks and balances collective decision making human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does inefficiency protect against tyranny? - When does inefficiency become a problem? A Different Perspective Inefficiency can also stall necessary action and cause gridlock. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-place/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democratic government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-government/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Places to live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/places-to-live/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [Democratic governments are not suited to the publication of the thunderous revelations I am in the habit of making. The unpublished parts will appear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/democratic-governments-are-not-suited-to-the-publication-of-the/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [Democratic governments are not delivering on their promises, which is partly due to the fact that governments are less powerful than they were after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/democratic-governments-are-not-delivering-on-their-promises-which-is/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [Governments are based pincipally on force and deception. Democratic governments are based chiefly on deception, other governments on force. And democratic governments, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/governments-are-based-pincipally-on-force-and-deception-democratic/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [...governments, including free and democratic governments, are not really friendly to freedom and democracy. They abhor any rule of law that limits their powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jonas/governments-including-free-and-democratic-governments-are-not-really/) [George Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jonas/) > [There is a democratic deficit. In Latin America in particular there is real concern that democratic governments are not delivering and that is leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/there-is-a-democratic-deficit-in-latin-america-in-particular-there-is/) [Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/) > [Defeatism about the feasibility of plans for disarmament and ordered peace has been the most calamitious of all the errors made by democratic governments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-noel-baker-baron-noel-baker/defeatism-about-the-feasibility-of-plans-for-disarmament-and-ordered/) Philip Noel-Baker, Baron Noel-Baker > [If you can't even manage to to force your own presumably democratic governments to allow you to do good things for yourselves, then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael/if-you-can-t-even-manage-to-to-force-your-own-presumably-democratic/) [Ishmael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael/) > [When democratic governments create economic calamity, free markets get the blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/when-democratic-governments-create-economic-calamity-free-markets-get/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [To my mind, there is a solution which has to do with democracy, because democratic governments are subject to the will of the people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/to-my-mind-there-is-a-solution-which-has-to-do-with-democracy-because/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [The United States has given frequent and enthusiastic support to the overthrow of democracy in favor of "investor friendly" regimes. The World Bank, IMF,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-herman/the-united-states-has-given-frequent-and-enthusiastic-support-to-the/) [Edward S. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-herman/) > [The natural proclivity of democratic governments is to pursue public policies which concentrate benefits on the well-organized and well-informed, and disperse the costs on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boettke/the-natural-proclivity-of-democratic-governments-is-to-pursue-public/) [Peter Boettke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boettke/) > [Modern equalitarian societies whether democratic or authoritarian in their political forms, always base themselves on the claim that they are making life happier. Happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-warshow/modern-equalitarian-societies-whether-democratic-or-authoritarian-in/) [Robert Warshow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-warshow/) > [We know that literate people are more likely than others to participate in their societies' democratic institutions and that the risk of war drops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-gillard/we-know-that-literate-people-are-more-likely-than-others-to/) [Julia Gillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-gillard/) > [We are teaching the world the great truth that Governments do better without Kings & Nobles than with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/we-are-teaching-the-world-the-great-truth-that-governments-do-better/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The people of North America, at this time, expect a revisal and reformation of the American Governments, and are better disposed to submit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/1st-baronet-sir-francis-bernard/the-people-of-north-america-at-this-time-expect-a-revisal-and/) 1st Baronet Sir Francis Bernard ## More by Nathan Myhrvold > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Our reactor actually burns nuclear waste as fuel. So not only is it safe and powerful, it solves an important issue: It actually reduces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/our-reactor-actually-burns-nuclear-waste-as-fuel-so-not-only-is-it/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Food, like anything else, lives in the physical world and obeys the laws of physics. When you whisk together some oil and a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/food-like-anything-else-lives-in-the-physical-world-and-obeys-the/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [If people don't find what you are doing threatening, then it is probably not very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/if-people-don-t-find-what-you-are-doing-threatening-then-it-is/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Among modern occupations, only cult leaders and TV weathermen rival the technological visionary's ability to retain credibility despite all evidence to the contrary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/among-modern-occupations-only-cult-leaders-and-tv-weathermen-rival/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Crazy ideas sometimes work, and the technological society that we have is built on a foundation of those crazy ideas that work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/crazy-ideas-sometimes-work-and-the-technological-society-that-we-have/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [An efficient government is dangerous in the hands of the wrong man. Sadly, the right sort of man never seems interested in the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/an-efficient-government-is-dangerous-in-the-hands-of-the-wrong-man/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [When we first did 'Modernist Cuisine,' I think most people in cookbook publishing would have said, 'This is insane.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/when-we-first-did-modernist-cuisine-i-think-most-people-in-cookbook/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [One of the greatest things that Apple and Jobs were very good at doing was daring to do the very different thing. It's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/one-of-the-greatest-things-that-apple-and-jobs-were-very-good-at/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [The first thing that is not obvious to people is global warming is a less-than-1% effect. It's like being shortchanged at the bank by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/the-first-thing-that-is-not-obvious-to-people-is-global-warming-is-a/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Ultimately, my Ph.D. is in mathematical physics, focusing on quantum field theory and curved space-time, and I worked with Stephen Hawking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/ultimately-my-ph-d-is-in-mathematical-physics-focusing-on-quantum/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [The way Moore's Law occurs in computing is really unprecedented in other walks of life. If the Boeing 747 obeyed Moore's Law, it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/the-way-moore-s-law-occurs-in-computing-is-really-unprecedented-in/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [If you talk about sous-vide, then you have to talk about food safety, and microbiology, and heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/if-you-talk-about-sous-vide-then-you-have-to-talk-about-food-safety/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [A person's basic humanity is not governed by how he or she came into this world, or whether somebody else happens to have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/a-person-s-basic-humanity-is-not-governed-by-how-he-or-she-came-into/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) [Explore all 134 Nathan Myhrvold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) ## More Alternatives quotes > [I am very sad that some designers are still using real fur when the fake alternatives are so effective and so easily obtainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-am-very-sad-that-some-designers-are-still-using-real-fur-when-the/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Conventional agriculture has never succeeded in feeding the world, and it's never produced anything good to eat. For the future, we need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barber/conventional-agriculture-has-never-succeeded-in-feeding-the-world-and/) [Dan Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barber/) > [ \[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:\] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-prime-minister-i-don-t-know-i/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [If one could have a wish, or an alternative life, I would've liked to have been John Lennon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-oldman/if-one-could-have-a-wish-or-an-alternative-life-i-would-ve-liked-to/) [Gary Oldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-oldman/) > [THE REAL PURPOSE OF HOLOCAUST REVISIONISM IS TO MAKE NATIONAL SOCIALISM AN ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE AGAIN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-covington/the-real-purpose-of-holocaust-revisionism-is-to-make-national/) Harold Covington > [Men since the beginning of time have sought peace...military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/men-since-the-beginning-of-time-have-sought-peace-military-alliances/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The mission of Christian humility in social life is not merely to edify, but to keep minds open to many alternatives. The rigidity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-mission-of-christian-humility-in-social-life-is-not-merely-to/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Maximise the alternative forms in which a user might receive a service, and the alternative sources of supply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-chipp/maximise-the-alternative-forms-in-which-a-user-might-receive-a/) Don Chipp > [In the last few years, the very idea of telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is dredged up only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-musto/in-the-last-few-years-the-very-idea-of-telling-the-truth-the-whole/) [Michael Musto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-musto/) > [Altermodern is an in-progress redefinition of modernity in the era of globalisation, stressing the experience of wandering in time, space and mediums. The term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-bourriaud/altermodern-is-an-in-progress-redefinition-of-modernity-in-the-era-of/) Nicolas Bourriaud > [If the system exhibits a structure which can be represented by a mathematical equivalent, called a mathematical model, and if the objective can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/if-the-system-exhibits-a-structure-which-can-be-represented-by-a/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [We must commit ourselves to an 'all of the above' energy approach, with a major focus on increasing domestic production and expanding alternatives fuels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-roskam/we-must-commit-ourselves-to-an-all-of-the-above-energy-approach-with/) [Peter Roskam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-roskam/) Browse all 1,463 Alternatives quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The reason societies with democratic governments are better places to live in than their alternatives isn't because of some goodness intrinsic to democracy, but because its hopeless inefficiency helps blunt the basic potential for evil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nathan Myhrvold" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/the-reason-societies-with-democratic-governments-are-better-places-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alternatives" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/the-reason-societies-with-democratic-governments-are-better-places-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/nathan-myhrvold-3298_alternatives_the-reason-societies-with-democratic-gov_1664712.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/nathan-myhrvold-3298_alternatives_the-reason-societies-with-democratic-gov_1664712.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d66/nathan-myhrvold-3298_alternatives_the-reason-societies-with-democratic-gov_1664712.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The reason societies with democratic governments are better places to live in than their alternatives isn't…” — Nathan Myhrvold", "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": "Nathan Myhrvold", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The reason societies with democratic governments...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/the-reason-societies-with-democratic-governments-are-better-places-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/the-reason-societies-with-democratic-governments-are-better-places-to/#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 } } ] } ```