---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a world of democracies, in a world…"
description: "\"In a world of democracies, in a world where the great projects that have set humanity on fire are the projects of the emancipation of individuals from ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/roberto-unger-35639_born_in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-whe_2932117.jpg"
---

#  In a world of democracies, in a world where the great…

![“In a world of democracies, in a world where the great projects that have set humanity on fire are the projects of the emancipation of individuals from entrenched social division and hierarchy; in such a world individuals must never be puppets or prisoners of the societies or cultures into which…” quote by Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/roberto-unger-35639_born_in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-whe_2932117.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/roberto-unger-35639_born_in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-whe_2932117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/roberto-unger-35639_born_in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-whe_2932117.jpg)

> “In a world of democracies, in a world where the great projects that have set humanity on fire are the projects of the emancipation of individuals from entrenched social division and hierarchy; in such a world individuals must never be puppets or prisoners of the societies or cultures into which they have been born.”

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote argues that true democracy requires individuals to be free from inherited social hierarchies, avoiding being controlled by their culture or society.

**In simple terms:** Freedom from inherited hierarchies is essential for democracy.

Key Takeaway

Guard personal autonomy against societal constraints.

Themes

freedom democracy individualism social hierarchy emancipation

Mood

critical determined optimistic

Type

philosophical political inspirational

When to use this quote

- political activism
- education reform
- community organizing
- personal decision making

Key Concepts

political philosophy social contract human rights

Questions to Reflect On

- How can individuals resist cultural conditioning?
- What structures perpetuate hierarchy?

A Different Perspective

Even in democratic societies, systemic pressures can still limit true autonomy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Born](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Democracies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies/) [Democracies World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracies-world-1348931/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Division](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/division/) [Emancipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emancipation/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-projects-4328585/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Puppets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puppets/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Democracies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-democracies-1961894/)

## Related quotes

> [...Local prohibitions cannot block advances in military and commercial technology... Democratic movements for local restraint can only restrain the world's democracies, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-eric-drexler/local-prohibitions-cannot-block-advances-in-military-and-commercial/)

[K. Eric Drexler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-eric-drexler/)

> [In a world of democracies, the most deserving basis of national differences is that the different states of the world should represent a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/in-a-world-of-democracies-the-most-deserving-basis-of-national/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [The three main sources of scepticism are first, that not every people desires freedom second, that democracy in certain parts of the world would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natan-sharansky/the-three-main-sources-of-scepticism-are-first-that-not-every-people/)

[Natan Sharansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natan-sharansky/)

> [The problem is that the things demanded by an empire, which is staying power, ruthlessness, the ability and the willingness to use its power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-danner/the-problem-is-that-the-things-demanded-by-an-empire-which-is-staying/)

[Mark Danner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-danner/)

> [America is an outlier in the world of democracies when it comes to the structure and conduct of elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-mann/america-is-an-outlier-in-the-world-of-democracies-when-it-comes-to/)

[Thomas E. Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-mann/)

> [I want people to understand that, look, we're in a period of democratic deficit, democratic recession. There are fewer democracies in the world today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-want-people-to-understand-that-look-we-re-in-a-period-of-democratic/)

[David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/)

> [The sense the great democracies of the world - Europe, the United States, Japan, others - are going to set the agenda for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-fried/the-sense-the-great-democracies-of-the-world-europe-the-united-states/)

[Daniel Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-fried/)

> [I'll never believe that Americans have racticed in our history anything close to the purest form of democracy of the world. Because there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/i-ll-never-believe-that-americans-have-racticed-in-our-history/)

[Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/)

> [We live in an age of de-democratization. The number of democracies in the world has been going backwards since 2005, and even many existing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/we-live-in-an-age-of-de-democratization-the-number-of-democracies-in/)

[David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/)

> [I think we need to be a superpower of human rights, of support for true grassroots democracy, not corporatist economic development, which suits our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-think-we-need-to-be-a-superpower-of-human-rights-of-support-for/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [As the 20th century ended, there were around 120 democracies in the world - and I can assure you more are on the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-the-20th-century-ended-there-were-around-120-democracies-in-the/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [We want the United States, the United Nations, and all democracies around the world to join the Cuban people in their quest for freedom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-malliotakis/we-want-the-united-states-the-united-nations-and-all-democracies/)

[Nicole Malliotakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-malliotakis/)

> [This mass terrorism is the new evil in our world today. It is perpetrated by fanatics who are utterly indifferent to the sanctity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-mass-terrorism-is-the-new-evil-in-our-world-today-it-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There have been the most terrible, shocking events taking place in the United States of America within the last couple of hours… We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/there-have-been-the-most-terrible-shocking-events-taking-place-in-the/)

[Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/)

> [“the democracies that arose after the First World War (and the Second) often collapsed when a single party seized power in some combination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/the-democracies-that-arose-after-the-first-world-war-and-the-second/)

[Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/)

## More by Roberto Unger

> [The essential thing, the ultimate goal of politics and thought, is a bigger life for the individual. A bigger life – that remains the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/the-essential-thing-the-ultimate-goal-of-politics-and-thought-is-a/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [Social solidarity must rest (instead) on the sole secure basis it can have: direct responsibility of people for one another. Such responsibility can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/social-solidarity-must-rest-instead-on-the-sole-secure-basis-it-can/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [The supreme good of life is vitality. And vitality is always seeping away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/the-supreme-good-of-life-is-vitality-and-vitality-is-always-seeping/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [The scientist should treasure the riddles he can't solve, not explain them away at the outset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/the-scientist-should-treasure-the-riddles-he-can-t-solve-not-explain/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [In my view, a political vision is not a grab-bag of discrete problems and solutions. It is the visionary anticipation of a direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/in-my-view-a-political-vision-is-not-a-grab-bag-of-discrete-problems/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [The Amazon is not just a set of trees. It is a set of 25 million people. If we don't create real economic opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/the-amazon-is-not-just-a-set-of-trees-it-is-a-set-of-25-million/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [Brazil has no future as a China with fewer people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/brazil-has-no-future-as-a-china-with-fewer-people/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [One of the striking features of the form of globalisation that has now been established is that it is based on the premise that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/one-of-the-striking-features-of-the-form-of-globalisation-that-has/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [In a world of democracies, the most deserving basis of national differences is that the different states of the world should represent a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/in-a-world-of-democracies-the-most-deserving-basis-of-national/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [When we imagine our Universe to be just one out of a multitude of possible worlds we devalue this world, the one we see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/when-we-imagine-our-universe-to-be-just-one-out-of-a-multitude-of/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [I regard myself as a man without charm in a country of charmers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/i-regard-myself-as-a-man-without-charm-in-a-country-of-charmers/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

> [At every level the greatest obstacle to transforming the world is that we lack the clarity and imagination to conceive that it could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/at-every-level-the-greatest-obstacle-to-transforming-the-world-is/)

[Roberto Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

[Explore all 13 Roberto Unger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/)

## More Born quotes

> [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/)

[Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/)

[Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/)

> [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/)

[Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/)

> [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/)

[Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/)

> [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/)

[Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/)

[Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/)

> [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/)

[Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/)

> [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/there-are-two-kinds-of-beauty-there-is-a-beauty-which-god-gives-at/)

[Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/)

> [If you can believe it, Hollywood wanted to change my birthdate. I was born after Valentine's Day, so they wanted to change it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/if-you-can-believe-it-hollywood-wanted-to-change-my-birthdate-i-was/)

[Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/)

[Browse all 11,606 Born quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In a world of democracies, in a world where the great projects that have set humanity on fire are the projects of the emancipation of individuals from entrenched social division and hierarchy; in such a world individuals must never be puppets or prisoners of the societies or cultures into which they have been born.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Roberto Unger"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-where-the-great-projects-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Born"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-where-the-great-projects-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/roberto-unger-35639_born_in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-whe_2932117.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/roberto-unger-35639_born_in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-whe_2932117.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/roberto-unger-35639_born_in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-whe_2932117.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In a world of democracies, in a world where the great projects that have set humanity on fire are the…” — Roberto Unger",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Roberto Unger",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-unger/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In a world of democracies, in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-where-the-great-projects-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-unger/in-a-world-of-democracies-in-a-world-where-the-great-projects-that/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
