Mahatma Gandhi Democracy Quotations

A democratic organization has to dare to do the right at all costs.

A born democrat is a born disciplinarian.

The voice of the people may be said to be God's voice, the voice of the Panchayat.

True democracy is not inconsistent with a few persons representing the spirit, the hope and the aspirations of those whom they claim to represent.

The only force at the disposal of democracy is that of public opinion.

No perfect democracy is possible without perfect nonviolence at the back of it.

Under democracy, individual liberty of opinion and action is jealously guarded.

The line of demarcation between democracy and monocracy is often thin, but rigid and stronger than unbreakable steel.

Islam was nothing if it did not spell complete democracy.

Democracy will break under the strain of apron strings. It can exist only on trust.

In the days of democracy there is no such thing as active loyalty to a person. You are, therefore, loyal or disloyal to institutions.

The spirit of democracy... requires change of the heart... requires the inculcation of the spirit of brotherhood.

The truest test of a democracy is in the ability of anyone to act as he likes, so long as he does not injure the life or property of anyone else.

Intolerance, discourtesy and harshness..... are taboo in all good society and are surely contrary to the spirit of democracy.

The very essence of democracy is that every person represents all the varied interests which compose the nation.

The spirit of democracy cannot be superimposed from the outside. It must come from within.

The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.

Democracy and violence can ill go together.

If we want to cultivate a true spirit of democracy we cannot afford to be intolerant. Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.

What is really needed to make democracy function is not knowledge of facts, but right education.

Evolution of democracy is not possible if we are not prepared to hear the other side.

The spirit of democracy is not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms. It requires change of heart.

Democracy, disciplined and enlightened, is the finest thing in the world.

Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy, as they undoubtedly are today.

Democracy and dependence on the military and police are incompatible.

Will Great Britain have an unwilling India dragged into war or a willing ally co-operating with her in the prosecution of a defence of true democracy?

Democracy is an impossible thing until the power is shared by all, but let not democracy degenerate into mobocracy.

Democracy is a great institution and, therefore, it is liable to be greatly abused.

Democracy demands patient instruction on it before legislation.

Democracy comes naturally to him who is habituated normally to yield willing obedience to all laws, human or divine.

Democracy can only represent the average if not less than the average.

If fighting for the legislatures meant a sacrifice of truth and nonviolence, democracy would not be worth a moment's purchase.

The science of nonviolence can alone lead one to pure democracy.

In a true democracy of India, the unit is the village.