“In a democracy, all voters are equal but not all are responsible. Compulsory voting ignores that elemental truth.”

"The Infantile Custom of Compulsory Voting," The Australian (February 21, 1990)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "In a democracy, all voters are equal but not all are responsible. Compulsory voting ignores that elemental truth." by Geoffrey Blainey?
Geoffrey Blainey photo
Geoffrey Blainey 72
Australian historian 1930

Related quotes

Narendra Modi photo

“Democracy, voters, voting responsibility […] everyone in Vadodara […] the awakening of the voters was very important and I thank and congratulate them.”

Narendra Modi (1950) Prime Minister of India

2014, "Election results 2014 LIVE: Vadodara goes wild as hero Modi arrives", 2014

John F. Kennedy photo

“The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”

John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) 35th president of the United States of America
Charles Stross photo
James Bovard photo

“A lie that is accepted by a sufficient number of ignorant voters becomes a political truth.”

James Bovard (1956) American journalist

From Terrorism & Tyranny: Trampling Freedom, Justice and Peace to Rid the World of Evil (Palgrave, 2003) http://www.jimbovard.com/Epigrams%20page%20Terrorism%20&%20Tyranny.htm

Tulsi Gabbard photo
Albert Pike photo

“It is, civilly, all aptitudes having equal opportunity; politically, all votes having equal weight; religiously, all consciences having equal rights.”

Source: Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (1871), Ch. II : The Fellow-Craft, p. 44
Context: From the political point of view there is but a single principle,— the sovereignty of man over himself. This sovereignty of one's self over one's self is called Liberty. Where two or several of these sovereignties associate, the State begins. But in this association there is no abdication. Each sovereignty parts with a certain portion of itself to form the common right. That portion is the same for all. There is equal contribution by all to the joint sovereignty. This identity of concession which each makes to all, is Equality. The common right is nothing more or less than the protection of all, pouring its rays on each. This protection of each by all, is Fraternity.
Liberty is the summit, Equality the base. Equality is not all vegetation on a level, a society of big spears of grass and stunted oaks, a neighborhood of jealousies, emasculating each other. It is, civilly, all aptitudes having equal opportunity; politically, all votes having equal weight; religiously, all consciences having equal rights.

Willy Brandt photo

“We are not chosen by God, but by the voters—therefore we seek dialogue with all those who put effort into this democracy.”

Willy Brandt (1913–1992) German social-democratic politician; Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany

Wir sind keine Erwählten, wir sind Gewählte. Deshalb suchen wir das Gespräch mit allen, die sich um diese Demokratie bemühen.
government policy statement on 28 October 1969, p. 19, bwbs.de http://www.bwbs.de/UserFiles/File/PDF/Regierungserklaerung691028.pdf (PDF file).

Aristotle photo
Mitch McConnell photo

“African American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans.”

Mitch McConnell (1942) US Senator from Kentucky, Senate Majority Leader

Source: "Virginia congressman blasts McConnell for comment on voters of color" https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/20/politics/mcconnell-voters-of-color-criticism-mceachin/index.html, CNN, January 21 2022

Related topics