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Democracy is a daring concept - a hope that we'll be best governed if all of us participate in the act of government. It is meant to be a conversation, a place where the intelligence and local knowledge of the electorate sums together to arrive at actions that reflect the participation of the largest possible number of people.

Democracy... is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder; and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.

Democracy is a destiny of humanity which cannot be averted. It can be delayed but not defeated.

A democracy is a volcano which conceals the fiery materials of its own destruction. These will produce an eruption and carry desolation in their way.

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.

Democracy, obviously, is something we don't want to give up, but it does create chaos. It means the guy next door can do what he wants, and it creates a collision of thinking. In cities, that means people build whatever they want.

Democracy is about non-arbitrary decisions. Democracy is about spreading decisions; it is not about destroying processes.

Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.