--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a democracy, the one thing that cannot…" description: "\"In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.\" — Teresa Heinz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/teresa-heinz-16196_cannot_in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot_18207.png" --- # In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to… ![“In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.” quote by Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/teresa-heinz-16196_cannot_in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot_18207.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/teresa-heinz-16196_cannot_in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot_18207.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/teresa-heinz-16196_cannot_in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot_18207.png) > “In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.” [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A democracy's survival depends on maintaining public confidence, optimism, and belief in its principles; eroding these undermines the system itself. **In simple terms:** Trust, hope, and idealism are essential for democracy. Key Takeaway Loss of trust destroys democracy. Themes democracy trust hope idealism social cohesion Mood optimistic cautious inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - elections - policy debates - public protests - community organizing Key Concepts political legitimacy civic engagement collective optimism Practical Applications - civic education - trust-building initiatives Questions to Reflect On - How can societies rebuild trust after a crisis? - What role does hope play in political participation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Idealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealism/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [Love is durable. It's like Teflon. ...Trust is like fine china. Secrets destroy trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/love-is-durable-it-s-like-teflon-trust-is-like-fine-china-secrets/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [Love is when you give someone else the power to destroy you, and you trust them not to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/love-is-when-you-give-someone-else-the-power-to-destroy-you-and-you/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [Love is about giving and trust; I give you the power to destroy me, and trust that you never will...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/love-is-about-giving-and-trust-i-give-you-the-power-to-destroy-me-and/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [In the world there is no democracy better than our democracy. Such a thing has never before been seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruhollah-khomeini/in-the-world-there-is-no-democracy-better-than-our-democracy-such-a/) [Ruhollah Khomeini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruhollah-khomeini/) > [Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/democracy-is-never-a-thing-done-democracy-is-always-something-that-a-2/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [The problem with the West is that they start with political reform going towards democracy. If you want to go towards democracy, the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/the-problem-with-the-west-is-that-they-start-with-political-reform-2/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Despite the dubious statistics … democracy is a thing of value for which we should be fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-stewart/despite-the-dubious-statistics-democracy-is-a-thing-of-value-for/) [Rory Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-stewart/) > [When we define democracy now it must still be as a thing hoped for but not seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/when-we-define-democracy-now-it-must-still-be-as-a-thing-hoped-for/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing. What is necessary now is one thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/democracy-is-never-a-thing-done-democracy-is-always-something-that-a/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [It is not, perhaps, unreasonable to conclude, that a pure and perfect democracy is a thing not attainable by man, constituted as he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fraser-tytler/it-is-not-perhaps-unreasonable-to-conclude-that-a-pure-and-perfect/) [Alexander Fraser Tytler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fraser-tytler/) > [Time has taught me not to lose hope, yet not to trust too much in hope either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/time-has-taught-me-not-to-lose-hope-yet-not-to-trust-too-much-in-hope-2/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“Time has taught me not to lose hope, yet not to trust too much in hope either. Hope is cruel, and has no conscience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/time-has-taught-me-not-to-lose-hope-yet-not-to-trust-too-much-in-hope/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [“But ultimate safety does not exist. Those who trust in such will find that hope dashed upon the very rock behind which they seek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-zahn/but-ultimate-safety-does-not-exist-those-who-trust-in-such-will-find/) [Timothy Zahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-zahn/) > [“Believe in truth. Trust in hope. Walk in faith. Live in peace. Stand in love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/believe-in-truth-trust-in-hope-walk-in-faith-live-in-peace-stand-in/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Trusting is dangerous, but without trust there is no hope of love, and love is all we ever have to hold against the dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rian-milan/trusting-is-dangerous-but-without-trust-there-is-no-hope-of-love-and/) Rian Milan ## More by Teresa Heinz > [There is a value in taking a stand whether or not anybody may be noticing it and whether or not it is a risky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/there-is-a-value-in-taking-a-stand-whether-or-not-anybody-may-be/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I am the product of living in dictatorships. And someone who's lived in dictatorships and not being allowed to be themselves, it cherishes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-am-the-product-of-living-in-dictatorships-and-someone-who-s-lived/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [As someone who has been both a full-time mom and full-time in work force, I know we all have valuable experiences that shape who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/as-someone-who-has-been-both-a-full-time-mom-and-full-time-in-work/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [Political campaigns are the graveyard of real ideas and the birthplace of empty promises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/political-campaigns-are-the-graveyard-of-real-ideas-and-the/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [John will never send a boy or girl in a uniform anywhere in the world because of our need and greed for oil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/john-will-never-send-a-boy-or-girl-in-a-uniform-anywhere-in-the-world/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I'm more old-fashioned than a lot of women...I don't view abortion as just a nothing. It is stopping the process of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-m-more-old-fashioned-than-a-lot-of-women-i-don-t-view-abortion-as/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I think a man and a woman, on a whole array of issues, including raising children, have differences, and then you work them through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-think-a-man-and-a-woman-on-a-whole-array-of-issues-including/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [My only self-confidence and satisfaction comes from the people that I do meet; I have fondness for people. I mean, I like to hug.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/my-only-self-confidence-and-satisfaction-comes-from-the-people-that-i/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I'm an African American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-m-an-african-american/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [Love is a big thing - it's part of who you become, how you grow up. I had a wonderful husband, and I'm very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/love-is-a-big-thing-it-s-part-of-who-you-become-how-you-grow-up-i-had/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [You can call me Mama T anytime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/you-can-call-me-mama-t-anytime/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I hope it will come as no surprise that I have something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-hope-it-will-come-as-no-surprise-that-i-have-something-to-say/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [It's time that we acknowledge the wisdom women have acquired by managing the chaos of daily life. Women are realists, the glue that holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/it-s-time-that-we-acknowledge-the-wisdom-women-have-acquired-by/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I mention my age because I find people in this country - women, not men, of course - women are so troubled by their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-mention-my-age-because-i-find-people-in-this-country-women-not-men/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I always think that women are the chaos managers of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-always-think-that-women-are-the-chaos-managers-of-life/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) [Explore all 40 Teresa Heinz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) ## More Cannot quotes > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [The book is not simply the object that one holds in one's hands, and it cannot remain within the little parallelpiped that contains it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/the-book-is-not-simply-the-object-that-one-holds-in-one-s-hands-and/) [Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/) > [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/) [Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/) > [Visaaranai' reflects a stark reality from which you cannot shut yourself out: that is its success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/visaaranai-reflects-a-stark-reality-from-which-you-cannot-shut/) [Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/) > [When you put more than a million kids in school, you take a plane today and go to Haiti, you cannot see the results.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martelly/when-you-put-more-than-a-million-kids-in-school-you-take-a-plane/) [Michel Martelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martelly/) > [We cannot stop anyone from criticising us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/we-cannot-stop-anyone-from-criticising-us/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Once you publish a book, it is out of your control. You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The Brazilians are amazing in their nature. You cannot describe it; you must feel that warmth when you're around them to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/the-brazilians-are-amazing-in-their-nature-you-cannot-describe-it-you/) [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/) > [The two things you cannot do effectively on stage are pray and copulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-two-things-you-cannot-do-effectively-on-stage-are-pray-and/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [The reason I fight is to provide for my family, and I cannot risk having that taken away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/the-reason-i-fight-is-to-provide-for-my-family-and-i-cannot-risk/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [We cannot have players who don't give their soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-cannot-have-players-who-don-t-give-their-soul/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [I cannot do confrontation. You know that fight or flight thing? I'm flight. I just don't want the argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/i-cannot-do-confrontation-you-know-that-fight-or-flight-thing-i-m/) [Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/) > [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/) [Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/) Browse all 2,691 Cannot quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Teresa Heinz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot-be-done-is-to-destroy-its/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cannot" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot-be-done-is-to-destroy-its/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/teresa-heinz-16196_cannot_in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot_18207.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/teresa-heinz-16196_cannot_in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot_18207.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/teresa-heinz-16196_cannot_in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot_18207.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.” — Teresa Heinz", "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": "Teresa Heinz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In a democracy, the one thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot-be-done-is-to-destroy-its/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot-be-done-is-to-destroy-its/#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 } } ] } ```