---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold, with…"
description: "\"'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold, with more weight than originality, 'Men do not seek authority so that they may impose a policy\" — Thomas Babington M..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/thomas-babington-macaulay-5096_creativity_in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more_1046801.jpg"
---

#  'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold, with more weight than…

![“'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold, with more weight than originality, 'Men do not seek authority so that they may impose a policy” quote by Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/thomas-babington-macaulay-5096_creativity_in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more_1046801.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/thomas-babington-macaulay-5096_creativity_in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more_1046801.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/thomas-babington-macaulay-5096_creativity_in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more_1046801.jpg)

> “'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold, with more weight than originality, 'Men do not seek authority so that they may impose a policy”

[Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

## About This Quote

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

In democracy, people do not seek authority merely to impose policies.

**In simple terms:** Democracy isn’t about imposing authority.

Key Takeaway

Value democratic participation over authority.

Themes

democracy authority politics

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- elections
- policy debates
- community meetings

Key Concepts

political theory citizen engagement

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do people desire authority?
- How can democracy prevent power abuse?

A Different Perspective

Authority can still dominate under democratic guise.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-said-345330/) [Mr Pinfold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mr-pinfold-2480182/) [Pinfold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pinfold-2480183/) [Pinfold Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pinfold-weight-2480184/)

## Related quotes

> [“only in another sort of pinfold than that from which she had been released. Lydgate's advice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/only-in-another-sort-of-pinfold-than-that-from-which-she-had-been/)

[George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/)

> [Iggy. This is not a democracy," I said,(...)"It's a Maxocracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/iggy-this-is-not-a-democracy-i-said-it-s-a-maxocracy/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [This is not a democracy," I said, understanding he fear but unable to do anything about it. "It's a Maxocracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/this-is-not-a-democracy-i-said-understanding-he-fear-but-unable-to-do/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [Democracy, as has been said of Christianity, has never really been tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-chase/democracy-as-has-been-said-of-christianity-has-never-really-been-tried/)

[Stuart Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-chase/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [ 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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

## More by Thomas Babington Macaulay

> [“If anybody would make me the greatest king that ever lived, with palaces and gardens, and fine dinners, and wine and coaches, and beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/if-anybody-would-make-me-the-greatest-king-that-ever-lived-with/)

[Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

> [Charles V said that a man who knew four languages was worth four men; and Alexander the Great so valued learning, that he used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/charles-v-said-that-a-man-who-knew-four-languages-was-worth-four-men/)

[Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

> [The voice of great events is proclaiming to us, Reform, that you may preserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/the-voice-of-great-events-is-proclaiming-to-us-reform-that-you-may/)

[Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

> [“LARS Porsena of Clusium By the Nine Gods he swore That the great house of Tarquin Should suffer wrong no more. By the Nine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/lars-porsena-of-clusium-by-the-nine-gods-he-swore-that-the-great-2/)

[Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

> [“Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the gate: ‘To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late. And how can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/then-out-spake-brave-horatius-the-captain-of-the-gate-to-every-man-2/)

[Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

> [“Pour, varlet, pour the water The water steaming hot! A spoonful for each man of us Another for the pot!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/pour-varlet-pour-the-water-the-water-steaming-hot-a-spoonful-for-each/)

[Thomas Babington Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

[Explore all 7 Thomas Babington Macaulay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/)

## More Creativity quotes

> [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/)

[Andrei Amalrik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-amalrik/)

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/)

[Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/)

> [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/)

[Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/)

[Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/)

> [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/)

[Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/)

> [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/)

[Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/)

> [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/)

[Christoph Niemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-niemann/)

> [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/)

[Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/)

> [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/)

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

[Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold, with more weight than originality, 'Men do not seek authority so that they may impose a policy",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thomas Babington Macaulay"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more-weight-than-originality-men/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Creativity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more-weight-than-originality-men/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/thomas-babington-macaulay-5096_creativity_in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more_1046801.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/thomas-babington-macaulay-5096_creativity_in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more_1046801.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/thomas-babington-macaulay-5096_creativity_in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more_1046801.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold, with more weight than originality, 'Men do not seek authority so that…” — Thomas Babington Macaulay",
                "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": "Thomas Babington Macaulay",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-babington-macaulay/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "'In a democracy,' said Mr Pinfold,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more-weight-than-originality-men/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-babington-macaulay/in-a-democracy-said-mr-pinfold-with-more-weight-than-originality-men/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
