"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance"
- H. L. Mencken
About this Quote
In this quote, H.L. Mencken is criticizing the concept of democracy, which he views as a deception based upon the presumption that the opinions of individual people will in some way combine to produce a smart and simply system of government. According to Mencken, the opposite holds true: democracy is a foolish and hazardous concept that presumes individuals know more than they really do. Individual ignorance and predisposition, he suggests, are rampant in society, and when people are offered the power to vote and make choices on behalf of the group, they are likely to make bad options that weaken the extremely concepts of democracy.
This quote is written / told by H. L. Mencken between September 12, 1880 and January 29, 1956. He was a famous Writer from USA.
The author also have 123 other quotes.
"Raising children is an incredibly hard and risky business in which no cumulative wisdom is gained: each generation repeats the mistakes the previous one made"
"The man who makes everything that leads to happiness depends upon himself, and not upon other men, has adopted the very best plan for living happily. This is the man of moderation, the man of manly character and of wisdom"
