--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great democracy must be progressive or…" description: "\"A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy.\" — Theodore Roosevelt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/theodore-roosevelt-218_democracy_a-great-democracy-must-be-progressive-or_1300260.jpg" --- # A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon… ![“A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/theodore-roosevelt-218_democracy_a-great-democracy-must-be-progressive-or_1300260.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/theodore-roosevelt-218_democracy_a-great-democracy-must-be-progressive-or_1300260.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/theodore-roosevelt-218_democracy_a-great-democracy-must-be-progressive-or_1300260.jpg) > “A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## 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 must evolve and adapt; without progress it loses its greatness. **In simple terms:** Democracy needs change to stay great. Key Takeaway Support continual improvement in governance. Themes democracy progress change politics Mood inspirational serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - election cycles - social movements Key Concepts civic duty institutional reform citizen engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens foster progress? - What risks arise when a democracy stagnates? A Different Perspective Progress can be resisted by entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cease Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cease-great-1504012/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Progressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-progressive-4266563/) [Great Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-democracy-1567182/) [Progressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive/) [Progressive Soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive-soon-4266564/) ## Related quotes > [“A great democracy has got to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/a-great-democracy-has-got-to-be-progressive-or-it-will-soon-cease-to/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Ours is a government of liberty by, through, and under the law. A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/ours-is-a-government-of-liberty-by-through-and-under-the-law-a-great/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [As long as you are good you will be great. But, if you cease to be good you will cease to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-d-taylor/as-long-as-you-are-good-you-will-be-great-but-if-you-cease-to-be-good/) [Henry D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-d-taylor/) > [“Democracy and ‘progressive democracy’ are synonymous, and indistinguishable from the expansion of the state, Since winning elections is overwhelmingly a matter of vote buying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-land/democracy-and-progressive-democracy-are-synonymous-and/) [Nick Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-land/) > [The fact that we've been a great democracy doesn't mean we will automatically keep being one if we keep waving the flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/the-fact-that-we-ve-been-a-great-democracy-doesn-t-mean-we-will/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [“All those things happened before the reforms that ended bureaucratic practices. And those reforms made it possible for decisive men to take charge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-christensen/all-those-things-happened-before-the-reforms-that-ended-bureaucratic/) [Andreas Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-christensen/) > [So many struggled so that all of us could have a voice in this great democracy and live up to the first three words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/so-many-struggled-so-that-all-of-us-could-have-a-voice-in-this-great/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [You think history is going to remember the United States as a great democracy? 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Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abram-l-sachar/) > [“A grayeyard is not a democracy, and yet death is the great democracy..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/a-grayeyard-is-not-a-democracy-and-yet-death-is-the-great-democracy/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [It's abominable, and it's a disgrace to a great democracy to see what's happened in our country. The main reason for that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/it-s-abominable-and-it-s-a-disgrace-to-a-great-democracy-to-see-what/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [My joke about Aaron Sorkin is that The West Wing was a great show about democracy, run by Kim Jong-Il!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/my-joke-about-aaron-sorkin-is-that-the-west-wing-was-a-great-show/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [I am a man who believes with all fervor and intensity in moderate progress. Too often men who believe in moderation believe in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-man-who-believes-with-all-fervor-and-intensity-in-moderate/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is imperative that Democrats take a stand and embrace Medicare for All and other progressive policies that address the needs of millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/it-is-imperative-that-democrats-take-a-stand-and-embrace-medicare-for/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal-habit-inheritance-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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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. 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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. 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