„There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration.“

„Free government is government by public opinion. Upon the soundness and integrity of public opinion depends the destiny of our democracy.“

—  Robert M. La Follette Sr. American politician 1855 - 1925

"Fooling the People as a Fine Art", La Follette's Magazine (April 1918)

„When free discussion is denied, hardening of the arteries of democracy has set in, free institutions are but a lifeless form, and the death of the republic is at hand.“

—  William Randolph Hearst American newspaper publisher 1863 - 1951

"In the News" (June 13, 1941)

„We should stop going around babbling about how we're the greatest democracy on earth, when we're not even a democracy. We are a sort of militarised republic.“

—  Gore Vidal American writer 1925 - 2012

"Gore Vidal and the Mind of the Terrorist" http://www.abc.net.au/arts/books/stories/s432193.htm, interview by Ramona Koval, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Radio National (November 2001)
2000s
Contexto: We should stop going around babbling about how we're the greatest democracy on earth, when we're not even a democracy. We are a sort of militarised republic. The founding fathers hated two things, one was monarchy and the other was democracy, they gave us a constitution that saw to it we will have neither. I don't know how wise they were.

„You have power, rank, command, influence; we have wealth, the source both of our strength and weakness; the value of these toys, ten times multiplied, would not influence half so much as your slightest wish.“

—  Walter Scott, libro Ivanhoe

Fuente: Ivanhoe (1819), Ch. 44, Rebecca speaking to Rowena.

„Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms.“

—  Aristotle Classical Greek philosopher, student of Plato and founder of Western philosophy -384 - -321 a.C.

„There was no democracy neither in Lithuania's, nor in Ukraine's elections - rules of the game were dictated by those, who had most money.“

—  Mindaugas Murza Lithuanian politician 1973

Quoted in Murza supports dictator http://www.lt24.lt/lt/content/viewitem/1371/

„Thank God we in Iran have neither the desire nor the need to suffer from democracy.“

—  Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Shah of Iran 1919 - 1980

As quoted in Asadollah Alam (1991), The Shah and I: The Confidential Diary of Iran's Royal Court, 1968-77, page 233
Attributed

„Knowledge or wealth to few are given,
But mark how just the ways of Heaven:
True joy to all is free.
Nor wealth nor knowledge grant the boon:
'Tis thine, O conscience, thine alone,
It all belongs to thee.“

—  William Julius Mickle British writer 1734 - 1788

Knowledge: an Ode (c. 1761)

„Neither family, nor privilege, nor wealth, nor anything but Love can light that beacon which a man must steer by when he sets out to live the better life.“

—  Platón Classical Greek philosopher -427 - -347 a.C.

178c, M. Joyce, trans, Collected Dialogues of Plato (1961), p. 533
The Symposium

„We are neither for a majority nor for a minority government; neither for democracy not for dictatorship.
We are for the abolition of the gendarme. We are for the freedom of all and for free agreement, which will be there for all when no one has the means to force others, and all are involved in the good running of society. We are for anarchy.“

—  Errico Malatesta Italian anarchist 1853 - 1932

Neither Democrats, Nor Dictators: Anarchists (1926)

„Neither thieves nor officials produce a marketable good to offset what they take; they contribute nothing to the purchasing power because they contribute nothing to the general fund of wealth.“

—  Frank Chodorov American libertarian thinker 1887 - 1966

p. 273

„What we need is a life of balance — neither to wallow in the pleasures of wealth nor to lead a life of asceticism, but to embrace a life of simplicity and a heart of purity.“

—  Sri Chinmoy Indian writer and guru 1931 - 2007

World-Destruction: Never, Impossible! (1994)

„Democracy, republics: What do these words signify?“

—  Haile Selassie Emperor of Ethiopia 1892 - 1975

Interview with Oriana Fallaci in The Chicago Tribune (24 June 1973).
Contexto: Democracy, republics: What do these words signify? What have they changed in the world? Have men become better, more loyal, kinder? Are the people happier? All goes on as before, as always. Illusions, illusions. Besides, one should consider the interest of a nation before subverting it with words. Democracy is necessary in some cases and We believe some African peoples might adopt it. But in other cases it is harmful, a mistake.

„The close relationship between politics and economics is neither neutral nor coincidental. Large governments evolve through history in order to protect large accumulations of property and wealth.“

—  Michael Parenti American academic 1933

Fuente: Democracy for the Few (2010 [1974]), sixth edition, Chapter 1, p. 4

„Indeed, when a man earns wealth from a haraam (prohibited source) - neither Hajj, nor Umra, nor strengthening of his blood kinship, is ever at all accepted or approved. By God, Almighty.“

—  Muhammad al-Baqir fifth of the Twelve Shia Imams 677 - 733

Majlisi, Bihārul Anwār, vol.75, p. 375

„Natural work democracy is politically neither "left" nor "right." It embraces anyone who does vital work; for this reason, its orientation is only and alone forward.“

—  Wilhelm Reich, libro The Mass Psychology of Fascism

Section 1 : Give Responsibility to Vitally Necessary Work!
The Mass Psychology of Fascism (1933), Ch. 10 : Work Democracy
Contexto: Natural work democracy is politically neither "left" nor "right." It embraces anyone who does vital work; for this reason, its orientation is only and alone forward. It has no inherent intention of being against ideologies, including political ideologies. On the other hand, if it is to function, it will be forced to take a firm stand, on a factual basis, against any ideology or political party which puts irrational obstacles in its path. Yet, basically, work democracy is not "against," as is the rule with politics, but "for"; for the formulation and solution of concrete tasks.

„Give a man a horse he can ride,
Give a man a boat he can sail;
And his rank and wealth, his strength and health,
On sea nor shore shall fail.“

—  James Thomson (B.V.) Scottish writer (1834-1882) 1834 - 1882

Part XV
Sunday Up the River (1865)

„We are now forming a republican government. Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments. Those who mean to form a solid republican government, ought to proceed to the confinges of another government. As long as offices are open to all men, and no constitutional rank is established, it is pure republicanism. But if we incline too much to democracy, we shall soon shoot into a monarchy.“

—  Alexander Hamilton Founding Father of the United States 1757 - 1804

26 June 1787 per page 105 of "The Debates, Resolutions, and Other Proceedings, in Convention, on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: Supplementary to the state Conventions" by Johnathan Elliot, published 1830 https://books.google.ca/books?id=-gtAAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA105
Debates of the Federal Convention (1787)

„In a democracy, where electors grant license to elected representatives to violate the oath of office; and continually reelect them, freedoms and liberties progressively erode for all.“

—  RJ Intindola (Gandolfo)

2017