We offer peace and neighborliness to all the neighboring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Hebrew nation for the common good of all.
David Ben-GurionRead
The test of democracy is freedom of criticism.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Democracy is validated through the ability to freely express criticism.
David Ben-Gurion's quote highlights that a true democratic society allows its citizens to voice their criticisms freely without fear of repercussions. This freedom of expression is essential for the health of democracy, as it encourages open dialogue and accountability among leaders and institutions.
Themes
DemocracyFreedomCriticismExpressionAccountability
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a debate on the importance of free speech in political discussions.
More from David Ben-Gurion
All quotes βWithout moral and intellectual independence, there is no anchor for national independence.
David Ben-GurionRead
Anyone who believes you can't change history has never tried to write his memoirs.
David Ben-GurionRead
Those who today murdered our people in an ambush not only plotted to murder some Jews but intended to provoke us... The Arabs stand to gain from such a development. They want the country to be in a state of perpetual pogrom.... Any further bloodshed [by the Jews] will only bring political advantage to the Arabs and harm us... Our strength is in the defense... and this strength will give us political victory if England and the world will know that we are defending ourselves rather than attacking.
David Ben-GurionRead
After eighty, there are no enemies, only survivors.
David Ben-GurionRead
We do not want to create a situation like that which exists in South Africa, where the whites are the owners and rulers, and the blacks are the workers. If we do not do all kinds of work, easy and hard, skilled and unskilled, if we become merely landlords, then this will not be our homeland
David Ben-GurionRead
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Once, when a religionist denounced me in unmeasured terms, I sent him a card saying, "I am sure you believe that I will go to hell when I die, and that once there I will suffer all the pains and tortures the sadistic ingenuity of your deity can devise and that this torture will continue forever. Isn't that enough for you? Do you have to call me bad names in addition?"
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I don't want everyone to like me; I should think less of myself if some people did.
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