| 22559 | Democracy is the worst of good constitutions, but the best of bad constitutions [Plato, by Aristotle] |
| 87 | Democracy is the best constitution for friendship, because it encourages equality [Aristotle] |
| 2823 | The many may add up to something good, even if they are inferior as individuals [Aristotle] |
| 2826 | Like water, large numbers of people are harder to corrupt than a few [Aristotle] |
| 22560 | Popular leaders only arise in democracies that are not in accord with the law [Aristotle] |
| 22562 | Choosing officials by lot is democratic [Aristotle] |
| 22567 | Democracy arises when people who are given equal freedom assume unconditional equality [Aristotle] |
| 1541 | It is better to be poor in a democracy than be rich without freedom [Democritus (attr)] |
| 21938 | Democracy needs respect for individuality, but the 'community of friends' implies strict equality [Grotius] |
| 6682 | Majority opinion is visible and authoritative, although not very clever [Pascal] |
| 19887 | Unanimous consent makes a united community, which is then ruled by the majority [Locke] |
| 19901 | The people have supreme power, to depose a legislature which has breached their trust [Locke] |
| 19825 | If the sovereign entrusts government to at least half the citizens, that is 'democracy' [Rousseau] |
| 7229 | People who transact their own business will also have the initiative to control their government [Mill] |
| 22876 | Democracy is the development of human nature when it shares in the running of communal activities [Dewey] |
| 22875 | Democracy is not just a form of government; it is a mode of shared living [Dewey] |
| 23371 | Modern democratic theory focuses on talk, not votes, because we need consensus or compromise [Kymlicka] |
| 23254 | Democracies should require a supermajority for major questions [Grayling] |
| 23255 | It is essential for democracy that voting is free and well informed [Grayling] |
| 21131 | Democracy is competition for support of the people, guided by self-interest on all sides [Posner] |
| 20510 | A system of democracy which includes both freedom and equality is almost impossible [Wolff,J] |
| 20511 | Democracy expresses equal respect (which explains why criminals forfeit the vote) [Wolff,J] |
| 20502 | Democracy has been seen as consistent with many types of inequality [Wolff,J] |
| 20496 | A true democracy could not tolerate slavery, exploitation or colonialism [Wolff,J] |
| 21002 | Effective democracy needs tolerant values [Sen] |
| 20085 | Democracy is the best compromise between legitimacy and efficiency [Reybrouck] |
| 20559 | Democracy is bad, but the other systems are worse [Swift] |
| 20561 | Since all opinions are treated as equal in democracy, it implies there are no right answers [Swift] |
| 20562 | Design your democracy to treat citizens equally, or to produce better citizens? [Swift] |
| 20563 | Design your democracy to yield political stability, or good decisions? [Swift] |
| 21129 | Democracy is a method of selection, or it involves participation, or it concerns public discussion [Shorten] |
| 21130 | Some say democracy is intrinsically valuable, others that it delivers good outcomes [Shorten] |
| 20606 | Epistemic theories defend democracy as more likely to produce the right answer [Tuckness/Wolf] |
| 20600 | Which areas of public concern should be decided democratically, and which not? [Tuckness/Wolf] |