--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rights are not the language of democracy…" description: "\"Rights are not the language of democracy. Compromise is what democracy is about. Rights are the language of freedom, and are absolute because their rol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/philip-k-howard-33727_absolute-power_rights-are-not-the-language-of-democracy_2598380.jpg" --- # Rights are not the language of democracy. Compromise is… ![“Rights are not the language of democracy. Compromise is what democracy is about. Rights are the language of freedom, and are absolute because their role is to protect our liberty. By using the absolute power of freedom to accomplish reforms of democracy, we have undermined democracy and diminished…” quote by Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/philip-k-howard-33727_absolute-power_rights-are-not-the-language-of-democracy_2598380.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/philip-k-howard-33727_absolute-power_rights-are-not-the-language-of-democracy_2598380.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a8/philip-k-howard-33727_absolute-power_rights-are-not-the-language-of-democracy_2598380.jpg) > “Rights are not the language of democracy. Compromise is what democracy is about. Rights are the language of freedom, and are absolute because their role is to protect our liberty. By using the absolute power of freedom to accomplish reforms of democracy, we have undermined democracy and diminished our freedom.” [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy relies on compromise, while rights protect liberty; conflating them can erode both. **In simple terms:** Compromise builds democracy, rights protect freedom. Key Takeaway Balance compromise with steadfast rights. Themes democracy rights freedom balance Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - legislative negotiations - constitutional debates - civil rights movements Key Concepts political theory civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect rights while encouraging compromise? - What limits should be placed on compromise? A Different Perspective Rights cannot be absolute without context; compromise may dilute essential freedoms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-power/) [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Compromise Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise-democracy-1922637/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-compromise-1922638/) [Democracy Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-rights-1644378/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-democracy-1922640/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-language-1922639/) [Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles/) ## Related quotes > [A democracy is a compromise by its nature. It's not a dictatorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/a-democracy-is-a-compromise-by-its-nature-it-s-not-a-dictatorship/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [ It is clear that whatever language of democracy \[Barack\] Obama and his administration use is very tactically deployed, and has as its main aim… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-butler/it-is-clear-that-whatever-language-of-democracy-barack-obama-and-his/) [Judith Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-butler/) > [The language of our democracy should be such that the weakest in our society should feel safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravish-kumar/the-language-of-our-democracy-should-be-such-that-the-weakest-in-our/) [Ravish Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravish-kumar/) > [The Sandinistas are dedicated Communists, and if they are going to make a compromise with democracy, it's going to be under pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-sandinistas-are-dedicated-communists-and-if-they-are-going-to/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The essence of globalization is a subordination of human rights, of labor rights, consumer, environmental rights, democracy rights, to the imperatives of global trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/the-essence-of-globalization-is-a-subordination-of-human-rights-of/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [Democracy is our commitment. It is our great legacy, a legacy we simply cannot compromise. Democracy is in our DNA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/democracy-is-our-commitment-it-is-our-great-legacy-a-legacy-we-simply-2/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Fundamentalist Christianity is not just a threat to lesbians and gays, but to all Americans who cherish democracy and the rights and protections guaranteed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-white/fundamentalist-christianity-is-not-just-a-threat-to-lesbians-and-gays/) [Mel White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-white/) > [“Eventually, in an historic feat of compromise, democracy was restored by the abolition of elections..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-de-bernieres/eventually-in-an-historic-feat-of-compromise-democracy-was-restored/) [Louis de Bernières](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-de-bernieres/) > [“If freedom, democracy, and the rights of man are to be preserved through the ages, free men and women must accept the responsibilities that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/if-freedom-democracy-and-the-rights-of-man-are-to-be-preserved/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A nation of slaves is always prepared to applaud the clemency of their master who, in the abuse of absolute power, does not proceed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-nation-of-slaves-is-always-prepared-to-applaud-the-clemency-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Absolute power, as we have always known, corrupts absolutely; it corrupts because it does not do the trick for the individual. Reality always creeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/absolute-power-as-we-have-always-known-corrupts-absolutely-it/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [Sometimes we like to think if we had power, that we would be different, and we would be omnipotent, but the truth is absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/sometimes-we-like-to-think-if-we-had-power-that-we-would-be-different/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [“As Israel made the wants of his national existence the law of the world, as under the dominance of these wants he deified even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/as-israel-made-the-wants-of-his-national-existence-the-law-of-the/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/) [John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/) ## More by Philip K. Howard > [“Plato argued that good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will always find a way around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/plato-argued-that-good-people-do-not-need-laws-to-tell-them-to-act/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“Uniformity in the common law, consisting of broad principles like the "reasonable person" standard, generally permits adjustment for the circumstances. This type of uniform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/uniformity-in-the-common-law-consisting-of-broad-principles-like-the/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [We should stop looking to law to provide the final answer… Law cannot save us from ourselves… We have to go out and try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/we-should-stop-looking-to-law-to-provide-the-final-answer-law-cannot/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [Human nature turns out to be more complicated than the idea that people will get along if only the rules are clear enough. Uncertainty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/human-nature-turns-out-to-be-more-complicated-than-the-idea-that/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“Overthrow the bureaucracy, and return to a system based on human responsibility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/overthrow-the-bureaucracy-and-return-to-a-system-based-on-human/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“By exiling human judgment in the last few decades, modern law changed role from useful tool to brainless tyrant. This legal regime will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/by-exiling-human-judgment-in-the-last-few-decades-modern-law-changed/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“In 2010, 70 percent of federal tax revenue was consumed by three entitlement programs (Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/in-2010-70-percent-of-federal-tax-revenue-was-consumed-by-three/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [Coercion by government, the main fear of our founding fathers, is now its most common attribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/coercion-by-government-the-main-fear-of-our-founding-fathers-is-now/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“We must abandon our belief that human choice denigrates the Rule of Law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/we-must-abandon-our-belief-that-human-choice-denigrates-the-rule-of/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“Automatic law corrodes our freedom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/automatic-law-corrodes-our-freedom/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [We've been trained to squint into a legal microscope, hoping that we can judge any dispute against the standard of a perfect society where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/we-ve-been-trained-to-squint-into-a-legal-microscope-hoping-that-we/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“Mindless rules, not accountable officials, are the enemy of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/mindless-rules-not-accountable-officials-are-the-enemy-of-freedom/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [“The difficulty lies, not in the new ideas,” John Maynard Keynes famously observed, “but in escaping from the old ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/the-difficulty-lies-not-in-the-new-ideas-john-maynard-keynes-famously/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) [Explore all 14 Philip K. Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) ## More Absolute power quotes > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-great/) [John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-emerich-edward-dalberg-acton/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“As Israel made the wants of his national existence the law of the world, as under the dominance of these wants he deified even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/as-israel-made-the-wants-of-his-national-existence-the-law-of-the/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [Sometimes we like to think if we had power, that we would be different, and we would be omnipotent, but the truth is absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/sometimes-we-like-to-think-if-we-had-power-that-we-would-be-different/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [Absolute power, as we have always known, corrupts absolutely; it corrupts because it does not do the trick for the individual. Reality always creeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/absolute-power-as-we-have-always-known-corrupts-absolutely-it/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [A nation of slaves is always prepared to applaud the clemency of their master who, in the abuse of absolute power, does not proceed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-nation-of-slaves-is-always-prepared-to-applaud-the-clemency-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pitt-1st-earl-of-chatham/unlimited-power-is-apt-to-corrupt-the-minds-of-those-who-possess-it/) [William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pitt-1st-earl-of-chatham/) > [The Book of Job is advice on how to live in terms of the absolute power of nature. Leviathan is advice on how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-phillip-verene/the-book-of-job-is-advice-on-how-to-live-in-terms-of-the-absolute/) [Donald Phillip Verene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-phillip-verene/) > [God cannot approve of a system of servitude, in which the master is guilty of assuming absolute power - of assuming God's place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/god-cannot-approve-of-a-system-of-servitude-in-which-the-master-is/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [“With absolute power, corruption and evil seep in humanity, and that evil continues to flourish as the good of humankind lies idle in darkness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-absolute-power-corruption-and-evil-seep-in-humanity-and-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are an eighteen or nineteen-year-old with little education, as is often the case, and you're put in charge of many, many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/if-you-are-an-eighteen-or-nineteen-year-old-with-little-education-as/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [“As history has also shown, especially in the twentieth century, one of the first things an ideologue will do after achieving absolute power is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/as-history-has-also-shown-especially-in-the-twentieth-century-one-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [We're taught Lord Acton's axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. 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Has not justice always come from the ... heart and spirit of men who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/has-justice-ever-grown-in-the-soil-of-absolute-power-has-not-justice/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) [Browse all 180 Absolute power quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-power/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Rights are not the language of democracy. Compromise is what democracy is about. Rights are the language of freedom, and are absolute because their role is to protect our liberty. By using the absolute power of freedom to accomplish reforms of democracy, we have undermined democracy and diminished our freedom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip K. 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