Democracy Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Those who stay away from the election think that one vote will do no good. 'Tis but one step more to think one vote will do no harm.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Self‑Reliance, 1841
People who think their single vote is meaningless underestimate collective impact; each vote contributes to change.
In simple terms: Every vote matters.
Key Takeaway
Vote, even if you think it’s small.
Themes
civic duty
political engagement
individual impact
Mood
thoughtful
encouraging
Type
political
inspirational
When to use this quote
- local elections
- national referendums
- community meetings
- activism
Key Concepts
democratic theory
collective action
Questions to Reflect On
- Will you vote in the next election?
- How can you encourage others to vote?
A Different Perspective
Low turnout can still skew results; not all votes have equal weight.
![“There are loads of black actors.You can't say: I'm going to vote for him, he's not very good but he's black, [so] I'll vote for him. You've got to give a good performance.” quote by Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/945/michael-caine-1152_actors_there-are-loads-of-black-actors-you-can_2894575.jpg)
![“I think there's something that's fascist [in Donald Trump's election], and something that I think we could probably learn from, in terms of the energy in the world right now.” quote by Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/966/morgan-parker-6193_election_i-think-there-s-something-that-s-fascist_2670897.jpg)
![“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 man, woman and child in our country who deserves to live in safety, prosperity and peace, so true.” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/18e/donald-trump-18_children_vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-se_1553.jpg)
