--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It 's really hard to impose democracy. It…" description: "\"It 's really hard to impose democracy. It has to emerge naturally. You have to get out of the way and let it happen.\" — Wesley Clark" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/wesley-clark-7521_democracy_it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it_1465788.jpg" --- # It 's really hard to impose democracy. It has to emerge… ![“It 's really hard to impose democracy. It has to emerge naturally. You have to get out of the way and let it happen.” quote by Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/wesley-clark-7521_democracy_it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it_1465788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/wesley-clark-7521_democracy_it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it_1465788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/wesley-clark-7521_democracy_it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it_1465788.jpg) > “It 's really hard to impose democracy. It has to emerge naturally. You have to get out of the way and let it happen.” [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy thrives when people are free to shape it themselves, not when forced by external control. **In simple terms:** Democracy should grow naturally, not be imposed. Key Takeaway Let people lead the process. Themes politics freedom self-determination Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical political When to use this quote - community organizing - policy reform - civic education Key Concepts Grassroots emergent order civil society Questions to Reflect On - What conditions enable organic democratic development? - How can leaders support without dominating? A Different Perspective Top‑down imposition can cause resistance and instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Emerge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-emerge-2181176/) [Emerge Naturally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emerge-naturally-4498042/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Impose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-impose-5306328/) [Impose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impose/) [Impose Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impose-democracy-2643106/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The authority you establish must emerge naturally from your character, from the particular strengths you possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-authority-you-establish-must-emerge-naturally-from-your-character/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [We should never take democracy for granted. Democracy can emerge and develop, but it can also decay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsakhiagiin-elbegdorj/we-should-never-take-democracy-for-granted-democracy-can-emerge-and/) [Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsakhiagiin-elbegdorj/) > [We should be more modest in our belief that we can impose democracy on a country through military force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-that-we-can-impose-democracy/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [But how can you speed up the transformation of society in a country as large as Russia? Those sounding the moral outcry are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/but-how-can-you-speed-up-the-transformation-of-society-in-a-country/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [But at the same time, I think we recognize we can't impose democracy from without, particularly American-style democracy. We need to work with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carlucci/but-at-the-same-time-i-think-we-recognize-we-can-t-impose-democracy/) [Frank Carlucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carlucci/) > [It's a fist fight - the idea is to go out there and impose my will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-alvarez/it-s-a-fist-fight-the-idea-is-to-go-out-there-and-impose-my-will/) [Eddie Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-alvarez/) > [The food system is not a free market. In this country, we impose reasonably high standards of animal welfare - but we haven't applied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-goldsmith/the-food-system-is-not-a-free-market-in-this-country-we-impose/) [Zac Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-goldsmith/) > [If you want to be a crazy person, go for it. But don't impose it on your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-glaser/if-you-want-to-be-a-crazy-person-go-for-it-but-don-t-impose-it-on/) [Jon Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-glaser/) > [There is violence in real life but I would never impose violence in a film just to attract the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbas-kiarostami/there-is-violence-in-real-life-but-i-would-never-impose-violence-in-a/) [Abbas Kiarostami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbas-kiarostami/) > [President Obama seems completely unaware of how many of the policies he is trying to impose have been tried before, in many times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/president-obama-seems-completely-unaware-of-how-many-of-the-policies/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [No matter how many troops we have in place or how long they stay, we cannot impose a parliamentary democracy there any more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clooney/no-matter-how-many-troops-we-have-in-place-or-how-long-they-stay-we/) [Nick Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clooney/) > [I don't think you can impose limits on science because the very nature of homo sapiens is that he - she - is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/i-don-t-think-you-can-impose-limits-on-science-because-the-very/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [That which you do not wish for yourself, do not impose on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umar/that-which-you-do-not-wish-for-yourself-do-not-impose-on-others/) [Umar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umar/) > [“What I impose, I must accept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr/what-i-impose-i-must-accept/) [Walter M. Miller Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr/) > [I would not, under any circumstances, try to impose my personal faith and belief on the rest of the country. I don't think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/i-would-not-under-any-circumstances-try-to-impose-my-personal-faith/) [John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/) ## More by Wesley Clark > [I like Hilary Clinton. I think she's - she's a fantastic leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-like-hilary-clinton-i-think-she-s-she-s-a-fantastic-leader/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Maybe it's because I've never been in politics, but I don't believe that America is run by politicians in Washington. I believe it's run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/maybe-it-s-because-i-ve-never-been-in-politics-but-i-don-t-believe/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [When we started after Osama bin Laden, we really decided to go after the Taliban. And we seemed to be content to kick the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/when-we-started-after-osama-bin-laden-we-really-decided-to-go-after/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/there-s-no-question-that-saddam-hussein-is-a-threat-yes-he-has/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I always said I would vote for a resolution that gave the president the leverage to go to the United Nations, and then come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-always-said-i-would-vote-for-a-resolution-that-gave-the-president/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [The campaign in Iraq illustrates the continuing progress of military technology and tactics, but if there is a single overriding lesson it must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/the-campaign-in-iraq-illustrates-the-continuing-progress-of-military/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Turkey's a NATO member. If Turkey gets attacked, we have to help defend Turkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/turkey-s-a-nato-member-if-turkey-gets-attacked-we-have-to-help-defend/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [What I did warn about when I testified in front of Congress in 2002, I said if you want to worry about a state,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/what-i-did-warn-about-when-i-testified-in-front-of-congress-in-2002-i/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [It's important. One of the principles in the United States is civilian control of the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-important-one-of-the-principles-in-the-united-states-is-civilian/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [President George Bush had the courage and the vision and we will always be grateful to President George Bush for that tremendous leadership and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/president-george-bush-had-the-courage-and-the-vision-and-we-will/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Once I started first grade, I started going to Emmanuel Baptist Church regularly. I went to Sunday school. We had Bible readings and things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/once-i-started-first-grade-i-started-going-to-emmanuel-baptist-church/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [I think there are some mass destruction capabilities that are still inside Iraq. I think there's some weapons that have been shipped over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-think-there-are-some-mass-destruction-capabilities-that-are-still/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [Well we always need brave, capable young men and women who can run a tactical operation and take risks on the battlefield but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/well-we-always-need-brave-capable-young-men-and-women-who-can-run-a/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [In my experience, in bringing coercive diplomacy to bear against Slobodan Milosevic, no bomb strike was more important than maintaining NATO's cohesion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/in-my-experience-in-bringing-coercive-diplomacy-to-bear-against/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [As president of the United States, my top priority will be to keep America safe. We're going to go after the terrorist networks. We're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/as-president-of-the-united-states-my-top-priority-will-be-to-keep/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) [Explore all 90 Wesley Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) ## 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": "It 's really hard to impose democracy. It has to emerge naturally. You have to get out of the way and let it happen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wesley Clark" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it-has-to-emerge-naturally-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it-has-to-emerge-naturally-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/wesley-clark-7521_democracy_it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it_1465788.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/wesley-clark-7521_democracy_it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it_1465788.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/wesley-clark-7521_democracy_it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it_1465788.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It 's really hard to impose democracy. It has to emerge naturally. You have to get out of the way and let it…” — Wesley Clark", "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": "Wesley Clark", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It 's really hard to impose...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it-has-to-emerge-naturally-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it-has-to-emerge-naturally-you/#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 } } ] } ```