QuoteProject
In a democracy, when you get 20 million people in the street, you resign.
Mohamed Elbaradei
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

In a democracy, widespread public dissent indicates a loss of legitimacy for leaders.

This quote by Mohamed Elbaradei emphasizes the power of collective action in a democratic society. When a significant number of citizens take to the streets in protest, it signals to leaders that they have lost the trust and support of the populace, compelling them to step down to restore order and faith in governance.

Themes

DemocracyProtestPublic DissentLeadershipResignation

In practice

Example use cases

During a public rally, someone might use this quote to inspire citizens to take action.

More from Mohamed Elbaradei

It would be, in fact, very ominous if Iraq were to be able to get weapon-usable material, hydro-plutonium or highly enriched uranium from abroad.
Mohamed ElbaradeiRead
Countries that perceive themselves to be vulnerable can be expected to try to redress that vulnerability - and in some cases, they will pursue clandestine weapons programs.
Mohamed ElbaradeiRead
Egypt needs to catch up with the rest of the world. We need to be free, democratic, and - society where people have the right to live in freedom and dignity.
Mohamed ElbaradeiRead
I couldn't have imagined that I would live long enough to see Egypt emancipated from decades of repression.
Mohamed ElbaradeiRead
Psychology is as important as substance. If you treat people with respect, they will go out of their way to accommodate you. If you treat them in a patronizing way, they will go out of their way to make your life difficult.
Mohamed ElbaradeiRead
The gravest threat faced by the world is of an extremist group getting hold of nuclear weapons or materials.
Mohamed ElbaradeiRead

Similar quotes

Major international interventions are doomed unless the US is directly or indirectly involved. But if American politicians, officials and servicemen are to be put at risk of arrest and prosecution, the United States will be most reluctant to act in order to curb aggression or prevent genocide. So the effect of the court may well be to diminish, not increase, the numbers of (in the words of the UN Secretary General) 'innocents of distant wars and conflicts'.
Margaret ThatcherRead
I want to say, and this is very important: at the end we lucked out. It was luck that prevented nuclear war. We came that close to nuclear war at the end. Rational individuals: Kennedy was rational; Khrushchev was rational; Castro was rational. Rational individuals came that close to total destruction of their societies. And that danger exists today.
Robert McnamaraRead
Elections aren't just about who votes but who doesn't vote.
Michelle ObamaRead
Democracy is four wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.
Robert A. HeinleinRead
It's time for political leaders across the ideological spectrum to realize that, while partisanship is understandable, hyper-partisanship is destructive to our country. We need more visionary leaders who will earnestly strive for bipartisanship and finding policy solutions that can move America forward.
Martin Luther King IiiRead
If the many allegations made to this date are true, then the burglars who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate were, in effect, breaking into the home of every citizen.
Sam ErvinRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.

Quote by Mohamed Elbaradei | QuoteProject