I think we need to just be very clear about what we're trying to do in Afghanistan. Frankly we're not trying to create the perfect democracy. We're never going to create some ideal society. We are simply there for our own national security.

The rights of democracy are not reserved for a select group within society they are the rights of all the people.

Well you know too much democracy is a sort of sad thing.

Informed by our sad experience of history we require nothing short of a foundation for lasting democracy.

At a time when 2500 American soldiers have given their lives for the cause of bringing democracy to Iraq it is sad and frustrating to watch the Republican establishment disgrace the exercise of democracy in our own House of Representatives.

We have accepted the principle of democracy and we are committed to respect the popular verdict and the result of that national consultation.

The E.U. is more than just a trade organization or a common market it is a guarantee of democracy freedom justice and human rights. Nations cannot stay in the E.U. if they do not respect these guarantees.

Anybody who asks for democracy to be introduced should respect the results of democracy.

But the Western countries that link their partnership with the poorest countries with respect for democracy also have to consider that they have obligations towards these countries.

For about ten years now the struggle for democracy and the respect of human rights has been in the focus point - if not a commodity - of political groups aiming to rise to power.

To win the cause we all believe in the spread of true democracy all over the world we need to win by example not just with speeches but by example not just with military might but by gaining the respect of the world.

We are not directly involved in Syria. But we will be working with our partners in the European Union and at the United Nations to see if we can persuade the Syrian authorities to go as I say more in that direction of respect for democracy and human rights.

Democracy may have arisen in the West as the way of striving for the universal aspiration to dignity and freedom but it isn't alien to the underlying concepts that infuse religion and moral philosophy everywhere.

Let me say again that the relationship is asymmetrical: there's no democracy without a market economy but you can have a market economy without democracy.

The American polity is infected with a serious imbalance of power between elites and masses a power which is the principal threat to our democracy.

Concentration of executive power unless it's very temporary and for specific circumstances let's say fighting world war two it's an assault on democracy.

Democracy shows not only its power in reforming governments but in regenerating a race of men and this is the greatest blessing of free governments.

In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich because there are more of them and the will of the majority is supreme.

The President in talking about freedom and democracy is sparking a wave of very positive democratic sentiment that might help us override both Islamic fundamentalism that has formed in that region and also some of the hatred for our policies of invading Iraq.

The birth of democracy in Iraq is one of the great positive changes of our era.

However I must say that I am very happy to see that we have such a positive result for our first referendum in our history and that gives me more confidence in Taiwan's democracy.

There can only be democracy when money is not allowed to be spent in Politics.

The 'democracy gap' in our politics and elections spells a deep sense of powerlessness by people who drop out do not vote or listlessly vote for the 'least worst' every four years and then wonder why after every cycle the 'least worst' gets worse.

The advantage of the internet is that it has taken away the charade of politics. China has heard of democracy and people know about certain concepts they wouldn't have previously.