"Ignorance is an evil weed, which dictators may cultivate among their dupes, but which no democracy can afford among its citizens"

This quote by William Beveridge is a cautioning about the dangers of ignorance in a democracy. He is saying that dictators can utilize ignorance to control and manage their citizens, however this is not something that a democracy can tolerate. Lack of knowledge can lead to a lack of understanding of the concerns dealing with a nation, and can cause citizens making uninformed decisions. In a democracy, citizens need to be informed and educated in order to make informed decisions and to guarantee that their voices are heard. Lack of knowledge can result in a lack of participation in the democratic process, and can result in an absence of trust in the federal government. For that reason, it is necessary that people in a democracy are educated and informed in order to make sure that democracy achieves success.