--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democratic institutions are based on a…" description: "\"Democratic institutions are based on a reality of human nature: that those with power, however benign or even noble their intentions, will do what they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_based_democratic-institutions-are-based-on-a-r_1171955.jpg" --- # Democratic institutions are based on a reality of human… ![“Democratic institutions are based on a reality of human nature: that those with power, however benign or even noble their intentions, will do what they can to keep it.” quote by Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_based_democratic-institutions-are-based-on-a-r_1171955.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_based_democratic-institutions-are-based-on-a-r_1171955.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/rebecca-mackinnon-1815_based_democratic-institutions-are-based-on-a-r_1171955.jpg) > “Democratic institutions are based on a reality of human nature: that those with power, however benign or even noble their intentions, will do what they can to keep it.” [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power tends to be preserved by those who hold it, regardless of their stated intentions. **In simple terms:** Those in power will protect their position. Key Takeaway Design institutions that limit power concentration. Themes politics human nature institutional design corruption Mood cautious analytical concerned Type theoretical policy‑oriented When to use this quote - government reform - corporate governance - civil society activism - policy making Key Concepts power dynamics self‑interest institutional inertia Questions to Reflect On - How can accountability be built into power structures? - What safeguards prevent benevolent abuse? A Different Perspective Idealistic views may overlook structural constraints that resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/based/) [Benign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benign/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Democratic Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-institutions-477715/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [However](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/however/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Institutions Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions-based-3400024/) [Intentions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intentions/) [Keep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Benign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-benign-3400025/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [To suggest that organic vegetables, which cost far more than conventional produce, can feed billions of people in parts of the world without roads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-specter/to-suggest-that-organic-vegetables-which-cost-far-more-than/) [Michael Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-specter/) > [Democratic institutions, even in the oldest operating democracy in the world, are anything but perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/democratic-institutions-even-in-the-oldest-operating-democracy-in-the/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [Human beings act in a great variety of irrational ways, but all of them seem to be capable, if given a fair chance, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/human-beings-act-in-a-great-variety-of-irrational-ways-but-all-of/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“The real origin of the democratic spirit - and most likely, many democratic institutions - lies precisely in those spaces of improvisation just outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/the-real-origin-of-the-democratic-spirit-and-most-likely-many/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [The court's recent decisions have made life more difficult for the democratic institutions that perform the day- to-day work of our nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dewine/the-court-s-recent-decisions-have-made-life-more-difficult-for-the/) [Mike DeWine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dewine/) > [Democratic institutions generally give men a lofty notion of their country and themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/democratic-institutions-generally-give-men-a-lofty-notion-of-their/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [It is equally unreasonable to run a university as a "participatory democracy," the approach to governance that once existed in Europe. 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