We go about the world, fighting to spread democracy and tell them how to live, but we really don't have a democratic system... The laws have been made to make it very difficult, because the Republicans and the Democrats aren't looking for the competition, they want to monopolize it. So in many ways, we are less democratic than some other systems, where they have multiple parties, and more people represented than they're able to be represented here.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Ron Paul points out the irony of the US promoting democracy abroad while its own system is less democratic due to two‑party dominance and barriers to competition.
- In plain terms
- US pushes democracy but limits its own democratic competition.
- What can you take from it?
- Reform electoral rules to increase domestic democracy.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How can a two‑party system be more inclusive?
- What reforms improve democratic representation?
Another view
The US still has many democratic mechanisms despite party dominance.
More from Ron Paul
Most often, our messing around and meddling in the affairs of other countries have unintended consequences. Sometimes just over in those countries that we mess…
Permalink to quote #41 Laura Knoy: Now how does this noninterventionist philosophy play out when it's a humanitarian crisis like genocide in Darfur, Sudan? Ron Paul: ...it should be …
Permalink to quote #43 We have a lot of goodness in this country. And we should promote it, but never through the barrel of a gun. We should do it by setting good standards, motivati…
Permalink to quote #40
Related quotes
...the Democratic and Republican parties, two apparently distinct political entities feeding at the same corporate trough.
Ralph NaderRalph Nader quote #1 The population of the US is nearly 300 million, including many of the best educated, most talented, most resourceful, humane people on earth. By almost any mea…
Richard DawkinsRichard Dawkins quote #3 If you think back to the Swift Boat debacle of 2004, the surface issue was John Kerry's honesty and bravery as a sailor in Vietnam. Far more powerful, however,…
Joshua Micah MarshallJoshua Micah Marshall quote #3