Mahatma Gandhi Quotes about Democracy

Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes lawless or corrupt.

Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes lawless or corrupt.

Freedom, Libertarian Party, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (2012). “The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas”, p.144, Vintage

Democracy and dependence on the military and police are incompatible.

Mahatma Gandhi

Military, Police, Democracy

What is really needed to make democracy function is not knowledge of facts, but right education.

Mahatma Gandhi

Educational, Democracy, Facts

Mahatma Gandhi (1958). “Collected Works”

The spirit of democracy... requires change of the heart... requires the inculcation of the spirit of brotherhood.

Mahatma Gandhi

Heart, Brotherhood, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi, Mohandas Gandhi, Ronald Duncan (2005). “Gandhi: Selected Writings”, p.172, Courier Corporation

A born democrat is a born disciplinarian.

Mahatma Gandhi

Democracy, Born, Democrat

Mahatma Gandhi (1959). “India of My Dreams”, p.25, Rajpal & Sons

Nonviolence is not a weapon of the weak. It is a weapon of the strongest and bravest.

Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom, Democracy, Weapons

Mahatma Gandhi (1976). “Collected Works”

Democracy is a great institution and, therefore, it is liable to be greatly abused.

Mahatma Gandhi

Democracy, Liable, Institutions

Mahatma Gandhi (1959). “India of My Dreams”, p.23, Rajpal & Sons

Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy, as they undoubtedly are today.

Mahatma Gandhi

Hypocrite, Hypocrisy, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (1974). “Collected Works”

Retaliation is counter-poison and poison breeds more poison. The nectar of Love alone can destroy the poison of hate.

Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom, Hate, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (1958). “Collected Works”

Evolution of democracy is not possible if we are not prepared to hear the other side.

Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom, Democracy, Sides

Mahatma Gandhi, Mohandas Gandhi, Homer A. Jack (2005). “The Wit and Wisdom of Gandhi”, p.126, Courier Corporation

Under democracy, individual liberty of opinion and action is jealously guarded.

Mahatma Gandhi

Democracy, Liberty, Action

Mahatma Gandhi (1959). “India of My Dreams”, p.27, Rajpal & Sons

To answer brutality with brutality is to admit one's moral and intellectual bankruptcy.

Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom, Intellectual, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi, Anand T. Hingorani, Ganga Anand Hingorani (1985). “The Encyclopaedia of Gandhian Thoughts”

Democracy comes naturally to him who is habituated normally to yield willing obedience to all laws, human or divine.

Mahatma Gandhi

Yield, Law, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (1959). “India of My Dreams”, p.25, Rajpal & Sons

If we want to cultivate a true spirit of democracy we cannot afford to be intolerant. Intolerance betrays want of faith in one's cause.

Mahatma Gandhi

Struggle, Democracy, Want

Mahatma Gandhi (1959). “India of My Dreams”, p.27, Rajpal & Sons

Force, violence, pressure, or compulsion with a view to conformity, are both uncivilized and undemocratic

Mahatma Gandhi

Views, Patriotism, Democracy

The only force at the disposal of democracy is that of public opinion.

Mahatma Gandhi

Democracy, Public Opinion, Opinion

Mahatma Gandhi (1967). “The Mind of Mahatma Gandhi”, p.353, Rajpal & Sons

Intolerance, discourtesy and harshness..... are taboo in all good society and are surely contrary to the spirit of democracy.

Mahatma Gandhi

Democracy, Spirit, Intolerance

If fighting for the legislatures meant a sacrifice of truth and nonviolence, democracy would not be worth a moment's purchase.

Mahatma Gandhi

Fighting, Sacrifice, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (1965). “Gandhiji Expects: What the Father of the Nation Expected of People's Representatives”

The spirit of democracy is not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms. It requires change of heart.

Mahatma Gandhi

Change, Heart, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (2012). “The Essential Gandhi: An Anthology of His Writings on His Life, Work, and Ideas”, p.192, Vintage

True democracy is not inconsistent with a few persons representing the spirit, the hope and the aspirations of those whom they claim to represent.

Mahatma Gandhi

Democracy, Spirit, Claims

Mahatma Gandhi (1943). “The Wisdom of Gandhi in His Own Words”

Democracy and violence can ill go together.

Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom, Democracy, Together

Mahatma Gandhi, Dennis Dalton (1995). “Gandhi: Selected Political Writings”, p.149, Hackett Publishing

The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.

Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom, Democracies Have, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (1959). “India of My Dreams”, p.27, Rajpal & Sons

My notion of democracy is that under it the weakest shall have the same opportunities as the strongest.

Mahatma Gandhi

Freedom, Opportunity, Democracy

The spirit of democracy cannot be superimposed from the outside. It must come from within.

Mahatma Gandhi

Inspirational, Freedom, Democracy

The true democrat is he who with purely nonviolent means defends his liberty and, therefore, his country's and ultimately that of the whole of mankind.

Mahatma Gandhi

Country, Mean, Democracy

Mahatma Gandhi (2005). “All Men Are Brothers”, p.141, A&C Black