The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting.

Summary

This quote by Charles Bukowski humorously highlights the contrasting nature of democracy and dictatorship. In a democracy, citizens are given the opportunity to vote freely before the governance is decided, indicating that their opinions and choices hold value. On the other hand, in a dictatorship, voting is irrelevant as a single authoritarian leader holds all the power and controls the decision-making process without taking into consideration public opinion. The quote implies that in a dictatorship, the absence of voting frees individuals from wasting their time on a seemingly pointless exercise.