John Dewey - On Democracy

On Democracy

The overriding theme of Dewey's works was his profound belief in democracy, be it in politics, education or communication and journalism. As Dewey himself stated in 1888, while still at the University of Michigan, "Democracy and the one, ultimate, ethical ideal of humanity are to my mind synonymous."

With respect to technological developments in a democracy:

"Persons do not become a society by living in physical proximity any more than a man ceases to be socially influenced by being so many feet or miles removed from others" —John Dewey from Andrew Feenberg's "Community in the Digital Age"

His work on democracy influenced one of his students, Dr Ambedkar, who later went on to become one of the founding fathers of independent India.

Read more about this topic:  John Dewey

Famous quotes containing the word democracy:

    Perhaps our national ambition to standardize ourselves has behind it the notion that democracy means standardization. But standardization is the surest way to destroy the initiative, to benumb the creative impulse above all else essential to the vitality and growth of democratic ideals.
    Ida M. Tarbell (1857–1944)

    A democracy which makes or even effectively prepares for modern, scientific war must necessarily cease to be democratic. No country can be really well prepared for modern war unless it is governed by a tyrant, at the head of a highly trained and perfectly obedient bureaucracy.
    Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)