Herbert Croly - Democracy Quotes

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Democracy may mean something more than a theoretically absolute popular government, but it assuredly cannot mean anything less.

Herbert Croly
If it be true that democracy is based upon the assumption that every man shall serve his fellow man, the organization of democracy should be gradually adapted to that assumption.

Herbert Croly
Democracy must stand or fall on a platform of possible human perfectibility. If human nature cannot be improved by institutions, democracy is at best a more than usually safe form of political organization.... But if it is to work better as well as merely longer, it must have some leavening effect on human nature; and the sincere democrat is obliged to assume the power of the leaven.

Herbert Croly
In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount to extreme individualism.

Herbert Croly
I am not concerned with dodging the odium of the word. The proposed definition of democracy is socialistic... (democracy) should be characterized not so much socialistic, as unscrupulously and loyally nationalistic.

Herbert Croly
Our country was thereby saved from the consequences of its distracting individualistic conception of democracy, and its merely legal conception of nationality. It was because the followers of Jackson and Douglas did fight for it, that the Union was preserved.

Herbert Croly
The years between 1800 and 1825 were distinguished, so far as our domestic development was concerned, by the growth of the Western pioneer Democracy in power and self-consciousness.

Herbert Croly
When Jefferson and the Republicans rallied to the Union and to the existing Federalist organization, the fabric of traditional American democracy was almost completely woven.

Herbert Croly
The essential nature of a democracy compels it to insist that individual power of all kinds, political, economic, or intellectual, shall not be perversely and irresponsibly exercised.

Herbert Croly