--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The core idea that underlies all of our…" description: "\"The core idea that underlies all of our democratic states, the core political idea, is this idea that it's not that one person is the sovereign; it's t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/noah-feldman-12383_core_the-core-idea-that-underlies-all-of-our_1338823.png" --- # The core idea that underlies all of our democratic states… ![“The core idea that underlies all of our democratic states, the core political idea, is this idea that it's not that one person is the sovereign; it's that all of the people are sovereign.” quote by Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/noah-feldman-12383_core_the-core-idea-that-underlies-all-of-our_1338823.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/noah-feldman-12383_core_the-core-idea-that-underlies-all-of-our_1338823.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/548/noah-feldman-12383_core_the-core-idea-that-underlies-all-of-our_1338823.png) > “The core idea that underlies all of our democratic states, the core political idea, is this idea that it's not that one person is the sovereign; it's that all of the people are sovereign.” [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy rests on collective sovereignty, meaning power belongs to the people, not a single ruler. **In simple terms:** People hold power together, not one person. Key Takeaway Promote inclusive participation in decision‑making. Themes democracy sovereignty collective power Mood analytical inspirational Type political educational When to use this quote - voting - public forums - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts political theory citizen rights Questions to Reflect On - How can marginalized voices be amplified in democratic processes? - What mechanisms ensure true collective sovereignty? A Different Perspective Power can be unevenly distributed despite formal equality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Sovereign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereign/) ## Related quotes > [To the American people of 1789, their nation promised a new way of life: each individual a free man; each having the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/to-the-american-people-of-1789-their-nation-promised-a-new-way-of/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The First Amendment is really at the very core of political speech, and political speech is at the core of the First Amendment. So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kozinski/the-first-amendment-is-really-at-the-very-core-of-political-speech/) [Alex Kozinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kozinski/) > [The idea - the core idea of humanism - is that the act of reading about great deeds will lead you to imitate them,..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-fish/the-idea-the-core-idea-of-humanism-is-that-the-act-of-reading-about/) [Stanley Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-fish/) > [“You don't have to speak monosyllables to be simple. What we mean by simple is finding the core of the idea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-heath-and-dan-heath/you-don-t-have-to-speak-monosyllables-to-be-simple-what-we-mean-by/) [Chip Heath and Dan Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-heath-and-dan-heath/) > [Learn not to add too many features right away, and get the core idea built and tested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-culver/learn-not-to-add-too-many-features-right-away-and-get-the-core-idea/) Leah Culver > [Because I'm a democrat! The will of the people is sovereign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/because-i-m-a-democrat-the-will-of-the-people-is-sovereign/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [The people are sovereign and the Constitution is supreme. 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I don't want my books to be seen as an expression of this or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdellah-taia/i-hate-to-express-political-ideas-directly-in-a-book-i-don-t-want-my/) [Abdellah Taia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdellah-taia/) > [The average educated man in America has about as much knowledge of what a political idea is as he has of the principles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jay-chapman/the-average-educated-man-in-america-has-about-as-much-knowledge-of/) [John Jay Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jay-chapman/) > [That great political idea, sanctifying freedom and consecrating it to God, teaching men to treasure the liberties of others as their own and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/that-great-political-idea-sanctifying-freedom-and-consecrating-it-to/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) ## More by Noah Feldman > [The administration of George W. 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