--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Democracy is four wolves and a sheep…" description: "\"Democracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.\" — Robert A. Heinlein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/robert-a-heinlein-209_collectivism_democracy-is-four-wolves-and-a-sheep-vot_954187.jpg" --- # Democracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner. ![“Democracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/robert-a-heinlein-209_collectivism_democracy-is-four-wolves-and-a-sheep-vot_954187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/robert-a-heinlein-209_collectivism_democracy-is-four-wolves-and-a-sheep-vot_954187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/robert-a-heinlein-209_collectivism_democracy-is-four-wolves-and-a-sheep-vot_954187.jpg) > “Democracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy can be skewed when a minority dominates decision‑making, highlighting power imbalances. **In simple terms:** Minority can dominate democracy. Key Takeaway Guard against disproportionate influence. Themes politics governance justice Mood critical concerned Type political philosophical When to use this quote - elections - board meetings - community votes Key Concepts majority rule minority rights power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can minority voices be protected? - What mechanisms ensure fair voting? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collectivism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Wolves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-wolves-340899/) [Dinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinner/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Sheep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheep/) [Sheep Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheep-voting-1451282/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) [Voting Dinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting-dinner-1451281/) ## Related quotes > [Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/democracy-must-be-something-more-than-two-wolves-and-a-sheep-voting/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [You can't have five wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-flynt/you-can-t-have-five-wolves-and-one-sheep-voting-on-what-to-have-for/) [Larry Flynt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-flynt/) > [Majority rule only works if you're also considering individual rights. Because you can't have five wolves and one sheep voting on what to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-flynt/majority-rule-only-works-if-you-re-also-considering-individual-rights/) [Larry Flynt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-flynt/) > [Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/democracy-is-not-freedom-democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-3/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-what-to-have-for-lunch/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Democracy is four wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/democracy-is-four-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-what-to-have-for-lunch/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-simkin/democracy-is-not-freedom-democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on-2/) [Marvin Simkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-simkin/) > [Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/democracy-is-not-freedom-democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [“He needed the people and the clamour around him. There was no questions and no doubts when he stood on a platform over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/he-needed-the-people-and-the-clamour-around-him-there-was-no/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [ \[American\] conformism might approximate collectivism, not so much in economic respects, and not too much in political respects, but very much in the pattern… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/american-conformism-might-approximate-collectivism-not-so-much-in/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“Socialists and Progressives confuse compassion and compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-samaan/socialists-and-progressives-confuse-compassion-and-compulsion/) [A.E. Samaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-samaan/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) ## More by Robert A. Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Women will forgive anything. Otherwise, the race would have died out long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/women-will-forgive-anything-otherwise-the-race-would-have-died-out/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature-itself-and-every-aspect-of/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“In Wilson's scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality." ~ By His Bootstraps / Robert A. Heinlein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/in-wilson-s-scale-of-evaluations-breakfast-rated-just-after-life/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ignorance-is-curable-stupid-is-forever/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Explore all 888 Robert A. Heinlein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More Collectivism quotes > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“Socialists and Progressives confuse compassion and compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-samaan/socialists-and-progressives-confuse-compassion-and-compulsion/) [A.E. Samaan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-samaan/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [ \[American\] conformism might approximate collectivism, not so much in economic respects, and not too much in political respects, but very much in the pattern… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/american-conformism-might-approximate-collectivism-not-so-much-in/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [“He needed the people and the clamour around him. There was no questions and no doubts when he stood on a platform over a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/he-needed-the-people-and-the-clamour-around-him-there-was-no/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [It is true that the virtues which are less esteemed and practiced now--independence, self-reliance, and the willingness to bear risks, the readiness to back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/it-is-true-that-the-virtues-which-are-less-esteemed-and-practiced-now/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [A noble person stands up as though a theater curtain rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-noble-person-stands-up-as-though-a-theater-curtain-rises/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [I don't envisage collectivism. There is no such animal, it is always individualism, sometimes the rest vote and sometimes they do not, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-don-t-envisage-collectivism-there-is-no-such-animal-it-is-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“They say, 'No private property', and immediately after strive to maintain private property in its daily manifestations. 'You shall be a commune as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pyotr-kropotkin/they-say-no-private-property-and-immediately-after-strive-to-maintain/) [Pyotr Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pyotr-kropotkin/) > [“the only secure basis for oligarchy is collectivism. Wealth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-only-secure-basis-for-oligarchy-is-collectivism-wealth/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Subconsciously it is possible to act, consciously it is possible to decide and overconsciously to create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/subconsciously-it-is-possible-to-act-consciously-it-is-possible-to/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Unfortunately, our leadership decided to abandon the model that had made us rich and embrace the impoverishing ideas of collectivism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/unfortunately-our-leadership-decided-to-abandon-the-model-that-had/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [By consequence I hold that no one ever did, or can do, anything for "society."... Comte invented the term altruism as an antonym for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/by-consequence-i-hold-that-no-one-ever-did-or-can-do-anything-for/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) [Browse all 246 Collectivism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectivism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Democracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert A. 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