--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rules are rather simple to…" description: "\"The rules are rather simple to understand: Under democracy you can defend any view, but only defend it. You can not try to realise it through power, vi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/poul-henningsen-45494_can-not_the-rules-are-rather-simple-to-understan_2818908.jpg" --- # The rules are rather simple to understand: Under democracy… ![“The rules are rather simple to understand: Under democracy you can defend any view, but only defend it. You can not try to realise it through power, violence or weapons.” quote by Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/poul-henningsen-45494_can-not_the-rules-are-rather-simple-to-understan_2818908.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/poul-henningsen-45494_can-not_the-rules-are-rather-simple-to-understan_2818908.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/poul-henningsen-45494_can-not_the-rules-are-rather-simple-to-understan_2818908.jpg) > “The rules are rather simple to understand: Under democracy you can defend any view, but only defend it. You can not try to realise it through power, violence or weapons.” [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy allows defending ideas, but not imposing them through force. **In simple terms:** Defend ideas, don’t force them. Key Takeaway Respect dialogue, avoid violence. Themes democracy speech nonviolence Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political debate - community meetings - online forums Key Concepts civil discourse ethical persuasion Questions to Reflect On - How do you defend a view without dominating? - What mechanisms ensure ideas stay nonviolent? A Different Perspective Power can still be abused subtly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-not/) [Defend View](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-view-3574668/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-defend-435472/) [Realising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realising/) [Rules Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-simple-680912/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Understand Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-democracy-1332596/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [Changes are inseparable from democracy. To defend democracy is to defend the possibility of change; in turn, changes alone can strengthen democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/changes-are-inseparable-from-democracy-to-defend-democracy-is-to/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [It is not enough to merely defend democracy. To defend it may be to lose it; to extend it is to strengthen it. Democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/it-is-not-enough-to-merely-defend-democracy-to-defend-it-may-be-to/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [“Open confession of dictatorship is far less dangerous than sham democracy. One can defend oneself against the former; the latter is like a creeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-reich/open-confession-of-dictatorship-is-far-less-dangerous-than-sham/) [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) > [Do not allow Democrats anywhere near foreign policy. Not even to keep them away from domestic policy. It's a mistake to ask those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/do-not-allow-democrats-anywhere-near-foreign-policy-not-even-to-keep/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [People who want to understand democracy should spend less time in the library with Aristotle and more time on the buses and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simeon-strunsky/people-who-want-to-understand-democracy-should-spend-less-time-in-the/) [Simeon Strunsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simeon-strunsky/) > [“The rules are simple!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuki-takahashi/the-rules-are-simple/) [Kazuki Takahashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuki-takahashi/) > [The rules are simple and easily understood by anyone who has once seen the game, but to the totally uninitiated they appear to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams-gilmer/the-rules-are-simple-and-easily-understood-by-anyone-who-has-once/) [John Adams Gilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams-gilmer/) > [The rules are simple: the first one to lose dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuki-takahashi/the-rules-are-simple-the-first-one-to-lose-dies/) [Kazuki Takahashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuki-takahashi/) > [My own view is simply that there are some very basic rules; very simple rules that apply to all writing in a way, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sullivan/my-own-view-is-simply-that-there-are-some-very-basic-rules-very/) [Andrew Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sullivan/) > [“If only customs were logical. If only the rules were as simple as "Don't do anything that will hurt others." If that were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-x-stork/if-only-customs-were-logical-if-only-the-rules-were-as-simple-as-don/) [Francisco X. Stork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-x-stork/) > [The best thing about football is that the rules are so simple. Anyone can play anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermain-defoe/the-best-thing-about-football-is-that-the-rules-are-so-simple-anyone/) [Jermain Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermain-defoe/) > [Our country, though it is not a theocracy, you will not understand democracy if you don't understand the biblical foundations and traditions and foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/our-country-though-it-is-not-a-theocracy-you-will-not-understand/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [“God first. Others second. Me third. The rules were that simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-jenkins-and-elizabeth-gardner-hines/god-first-others-second-me-third-the-rules-were-that-simple/) [Carol Jenkins and Elizabeth Gardner Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-jenkins-and-elizabeth-gardner-hines/) > [The rules are simple. Take your work, but never yourself, seriously. Pour in the love and whatever skill you have, and it will come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/the-rules-are-simple-take-your-work-but-never-yourself-seriously-pour/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [Volleyball rules are simple. If it is on the floor, pick it up and get it into the air. If it is in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kessel/volleyball-rules-are-simple-if-it-is-on-the-floor-pick-it-up-and-get/) [John Kessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kessel/) ## More by Poul Henningsen > [Art is the ability to separate the significant from the insignificant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/art-is-the-ability-to-separate-the-significant-from-the-insignificant/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) > [The technician should never forget that he is an artist, the artist never that he is a technician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/the-technician-should-never-forget-that-he-is-an-artist-the-artist/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) > [Everything new stalls because there is precedence for the old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/everything-new-stalls-because-there-is-precedence-for-the-old/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) > [The only thing which separates man from child is all the values he has lost over the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/the-only-thing-which-separates-man-from-child-is-all-the-values-he/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) > [Being conservative has never been regarded as old-fashioned. But if you fight for a sensible step in the right direction which others has deserted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/being-conservative-has-never-been-regarded-as-old-fashioned-but-if/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) > [Good taste is always bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/good-taste-is-always-bad/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) > [Future comes by itself, progress does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/future-comes-by-itself-progress-does-not/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) > [Democracy can only be measured on the existence of an opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poul-henningsen/democracy-can-only-be-measured-on-the-existence-of-an-opposition/) [Poul Henningsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) [Explore all 9 Poul Henningsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poul-henningsen/) ## More Can not quotes > [Our beliefs are like the unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what's possible and what's impossible, what we can and can not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/our-beliefs-are-like-the-unquestioned-commands-telling-us-how-things/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [… Our lives are made in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists & turns of fate. Time falls away, but these small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/our-lives-are-made-in-these-small-hours-these-little-wonders-these/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [ He \[Moliere\] pleases all the world, but cannot please himself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/he-moliere-pleases-all-the-world-but-cannot-please-himself/) [Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-boileau-despreaux/) > [Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us. Surely they can not separate from our consciousness, shall follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/our-great-thoughts-our-great-affections-the-truths-of-our-life-never/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [You can not kill that which is already dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-undertaker/you-can-not-kill-that-which-is-already-dead/) [The Undertaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-undertaker/) > [Yes I try to do everything I can not to fail hideously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-balaban/yes-i-try-to-do-everything-i-can-not-to-fail-hideously/) [Bob Balaban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-balaban/) > [You can not have significance in this life if it is all about you. You get your significance, you find your joy in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tudor-jones/you-can-not-have-significance-in-this-life-if-it-is-all-about-you-you/) [Paul Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tudor-jones/) > [If we are true to ourselves, we can not be false to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/if-we-are-true-to-ourselves-we-can-not-be-false-to-anyone/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If I can not dance, I shall die!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-pavlova/if-i-can-not-dance-i-shall-die/) [Anna Pavlova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-pavlova/) > [I have looked at so many photographs, I can not see them anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heizer/i-have-looked-at-so-many-photographs-i-can-not-see-them-anymore/) [Michael Heizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-heizer/) > [I think that freely available software can not only keep up with the evolution of commercial software, but often exceed what you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-think-that-freely-available-software-can-not-only-keep-up-with-the/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Hinduism is not just a faith. It is the union of reason and intuition that can not be defined but is only to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/hinduism-is-not-just-a-faith-it-is-the-union-of-reason-and-intuition/) [Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan/) > [Whether or not storms come, we can not choose. But where we stare during a storm, that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/whether-or-not-storms-come-we-can-not-choose-but-where-we-stare/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [All earth's full rivers can not fillThe sea that drinking thirsteth still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-rossetti/all-earth-s-full-rivers-can-not-fillthe-sea-that-drinking-thirsteth/) [Christina Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-rossetti/) > [Nations are beginning to look to some vague organization, some nebulous course of humanity, to pay their bills and tell them what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/nations-are-beginning-to-look-to-some-vague-organization-some/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) [Browse all 567 Can not quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-not/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The rules are rather simple to understand: Under democracy you can defend any view, but only defend it. 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