--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man's capacity for justice makes…" description: "\"Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.\" — Reinhold Niebuhr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_democracy_man-s-capacity-for-justice-makes-democra_2453578.png" --- # Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but… ![“Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.” quote by Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_democracy_man-s-capacity-for-justice-makes-democra_2453578.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_democracy_man-s-capacity-for-justice-makes-democra_2453578.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d9/reinhold-niebuhr-1881_democracy_man-s-capacity-for-justice-makes-democra_2453578.png) > “Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.” [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) ## 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 both human fairness and the inevitable presence of injustice, making it both possible and necessary. **In simple terms:** Justice enables democracy; injustice forces its upkeep. Key Takeaway Balance fairness with vigilance. Themes politics justice democracy human nature Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - elections - policy making - civil rights activism Key Concepts social contract ethical paradox civic duty Questions to Reflect On - What injustices demand democratic action? - How can we protect democracy from its own flaws? A Different Perspective Idealism alone cannot sustain democracy; realism is required. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-necessary-590483/) [Democracy Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-possible-590484/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Makes Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-democracy-436506/) ## Related quotes > [It is the evil in man that makes democracy necessary, and man's belief in justice that makes democracy possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/it-is-the-evil-in-man-that-makes-democracy-necessary-and-man-s-belief/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Human Beings are just good enough to make democracy possible...just bad enough to make it neccessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/human-beings-are-just-good-enough-to-make-democracy-possible-just-bad/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [In many ways, the media today makes dictatorship impossible. But it also makes democracy intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/in-many-ways-the-media-today-makes-dictatorship-impossible-but-it/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Throughout American history many of our social gains and much of our progress toward democracy were made possible by the active intervention of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-washington/throughout-american-history-many-of-our-social-gains-and-much-of-our/) [Harold Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-washington/) > [In order to improve democracy, then, it's necessary to change the people, as Brecht ironically proposed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/in-order-to-improve-democracy-then-it-s-necessary-to-change-the/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/democracy-is-necessary-to-peace-and-to-undermining-the-forces-of/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [I don't care if you're a liberal icon or a conservative icon. 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There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/so-little-of-what-makes-a-democracy-work-is-written-down-so-much-of/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [No perfect democracy is possible without perfect nonviolence at the back of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-perfect-democracy-is-possible-without-perfect-nonviolence-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Man's inclination to justice makes democracy possible; but man's capacity for injustice makes it necessary.' The optimism we need to prevent ourselves from destroying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-crick/man-s-inclination-to-justice-makes-democracy-possible-but-man-s/) [Bernard Crick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-crick/) ## More by Reinhold Niebuhr > [There are evidently limits to the achievements of science; and there are irresolvable contradictions both between prosperity and virtue, and between happiness and ''the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-are-evidently-limits-to-the-achievements-of-science-and-there/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The essence of man is his freedom. 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