--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let's pretend six people live in your…" description: "\"Let's pretend six people live in your house. And you propose that only four people get to eat every day, and you put it to a vote. If four people vote ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/rush-limbaugh-28_democracy_let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-ho_2433231.jpg" --- # Let's pretend six people live in your house. And you… ![“Let's pretend six people live in your house. And you propose that only four people get to eat every day, and you put it to a vote. If four people vote that only four people get to eat, two people don't, that prevails. That's what a democracy is. It's strictly majority-minority rule.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/rush-limbaugh-28_democracy_let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-ho_2433231.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/rush-limbaugh-28_democracy_let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-ho_2433231.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/rush-limbaugh-28_democracy_let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-ho_2433231.jpg) > “Let's pretend six people live in your house. And you propose that only four people get to eat every day, and you put it to a vote. If four people vote that only four people get to eat, two people don't, that prevails. That's what a democracy is. It's strictly majority-minority rule.” [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker illustrates democracy as a simple majority rule that can marginalize minorities, using a hypothetical voting scenario. **In simple terms:** Democracy can be just majority rule, ignoring minorities. Key Takeaway Consider protections for minorities in democratic systems. Themes politics ethics governance Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - elections - policy making - community decisions Key Concepts majority rule minority rights voting theory Questions to Reflect On - How can minorities be protected? - What safeguards exist against tyranny of the majority? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies democracy, ignoring checks and balances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Strictly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-strictly-307201/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Majority Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority-minority-307200/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Minority Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority-rule-307199/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Propose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propose/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Strictly Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strictly-majority-307202/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [“From Hobbes’s theory of the sovereign ruling by authority to Max Weber 250 years later, defining the state in terms of a monopoly of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-minogue/from-hobbes-s-theory-of-the-sovereign-ruling-by-authority-to-max/) [Kenneth Minogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-minogue/) > [Truth always rests with the minority, and the minority is always stronger than the majority, because the minority is generally formed by those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/truth-always-rests-with-the-minority-and-the-minority-is-always/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Shall we then judge a country by the majority, or by the minority? By the minority, surely. 'Tis pedantry to estimate nations by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/shall-we-then-judge-a-country-by-the-majority-or-by-the-minority-by/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Far from an excess of majority rule, American democracy has seen the rise of minority rule, with efforts to entrench it in the states.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/far-from-an-excess-of-majority-rule-american-democracy-has-seen-the/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Democracy is an experiment, and the right of the majority to rule is no more inherent than the right of the minority to rule;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-allen-white/democracy-is-an-experiment-and-the-right-of-the-majority-to-rule-is/) [William Allen White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-allen-white/) > [“The history of the government of the United States under the present Constitution is a long history of rule by minorities. The Constitution by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-history-of-the-government-of-the-united-states-under-the-present/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Its minority rule and majority limited rights. In fact it's set up that way. If you read the framers of the constitution, including James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/its-minority-rule-and-majority-limited-rights-in-fact-it-s-set-up/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [A fatal defect in majority rule is that by its very nature it abolishes itself. Majority rule must inevitably become minority rule: the majority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/a-fatal-defect-in-majority-rule-is-that-by-its-very-nature-it/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [Due to the major demographic changes we have gone through in the last few years in this country, we will be a majority/minority nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-wasserman-schultz/due-to-the-major-demographic-changes-we-have-gone-through-in-the-last/) [Debbie Wasserman Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-wasserman-schultz/) > [A minority is powerless while it conforms to the majority; it is not even a minority then; but it is irresistible when it clogs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-minority-is-powerless-while-it-conforms-to-the-majority-it-is-not/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The minority is always stronger than the majority, because the minority is generally formed by those who really have an opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/the-minority-is-always-stronger-than-the-majority-because-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Shall we then judge a country by the majority, or by the minority? By the minority, surely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/shall-we-then-judge-a-country-by-the-majority-or-by-the-minority-by-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Cast your whole vote, not a strip of paper merely, but your whole influence. A minority is powerless while it conforms to the majority;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/cast-your-whole-vote-not-a-strip-of-paper-merely-but-your-whole/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The opinion of the majority or the minority is of no importance! The important thing is the opinion of the Truth, of the Reason,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-opinion-of-the-majority-or-the-minority-is-of-no-importance-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Although the natural rights inherent in our( Constitutional) regime are adequate to the solution of this ( minority) problem...the equal protection of the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/although-the-natural-rights-inherent-in-our-constitutional-regime-are/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) ## More by Rush Limbaugh > [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ I guarantee you \[Hillary Clinton\] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that \[Donald\] Trump's the guy to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoking-in-humiliation-over-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ The real leadership of the opposition is never, ever gonna do anything but continue to ramp up efforts to stop \[Donald\] Trump or destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-real-leadership-of-the-opposition-is-never-ever-gonna-do-anything/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can't see the Democrats working with Donald Trump on tax reform unless the rich get soaked. The thing about this that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-can-t-see-the-democrats-working-with-donald-trump-on-tax-reform/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [People from all over the world came to America and assimilated into a single culture rooted in the founding, which is rooted in individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/people-from-all-over-the-world-came-to-america-and-assimilated-into-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The left wants to transform America away from founding ideals, and this is it. And they know it. And they're doing everything they, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-left-wants-to-transform-america-away-from-founding-ideals-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There is an all-out assault now on the Christian community in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-an-all-out-assault-now-on-the-christian-community-in-this/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ Four states where \[Democrats\] have the governorship and both houses of the legislature. That's it. They have lost seats. They are not gonna win… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/four-states-where-democrats-have-the-governorship-and-both-houses-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Explore all 2,819 Rush Limbaugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [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/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let's pretend six people live in your house. And you propose that only four people get to eat every day, and you put it to a vote. If four people vote that only four people get to eat, two people don't, that prevails. That's what a democracy is. It's strictly majority-minority rule.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rush Limbaugh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-house-and-you-propose-that-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-house-and-you-propose-that-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/rush-limbaugh-28_democracy_let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-ho_2433231.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/rush-limbaugh-28_democracy_let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-ho_2433231.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b2/rush-limbaugh-28_democracy_let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-ho_2433231.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let's pretend six people live in your house. And you propose that only four people get to eat every day, and…” — Rush Limbaugh", "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": "Rush Limbaugh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let's pretend six people live in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-house-and-you-propose-that-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/let-s-pretend-six-people-live-in-your-house-and-you-propose-that-only/#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 } } ] } ```