General Question

marcosthecuban's avatar

Who said "the problem with democracy is that the majority of people are idiots"?

Asked by marcosthecuban (429points) May 30th, 2009
Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

9 Answers

cyn's avatar

je ne sais pas!
:(
i feel like an idiot…

gailcalled's avatar

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.
H. L. Mencken

There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action.
Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970)

The government consists of a gang of men exactly like you and me. They have, taking one with another, no special talent for the business of government; they have only a talent for getting and holding office.
H. L. Mencken (1880 – 1956)

marcosthecuban's avatar

@gailcalled gave you a ‘great answer’ for that one! thanks.

rhector63's avatar

well, its not that people are idiots, in fact no one is an idiot, its just “we” by which i mean the american public is drastically underinformed. Sure “we” are given the chance to see past The wall ( my term of a boundary of lies and truths all meshed together to keep us out of what the government sees as too dangerous for the public) “we” deside to keep our noses out of all the mess in fear of being critized for wanting to reform the so-called perfect nation. i want you to tell me, from what kind of government were we formed from?

the Romans
and do you y they failed

becasue one of the things was the people (specifically conquered people) were given over control, they were given the chance to expand at what seemed to be a never ending run, and the government couldn’t keep up, soon money was short and other factors eventually destroyed that once great nation. the united states does not want that to happen

that is why we are keep out of the gevernment business

aprilsimnel's avatar

Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried.
Winston Churchill

YARNLADY's avatar

Me, me, I said that.

hiphiphopflipflapflop's avatar

Hermann Göring: “Why, of course, the people don’t want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don’t want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship.”

Gustave Gilbert: “There is one difference. In a democracy, the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars.”

Göring: “Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.”

Crusader's avatar

@hiphiphopflipflapflop,

Aristotle; Democracy is rule of the indigent

Good referencing, minds, media, and money, that is what war is for-and to empower the shadowy ‘pure bloods’ of All would be racial leaders-not just german…

alive's avatar

Winston Churchill said it… your interpretation of the quote is a little off, but gets the point across.

“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

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