Quote by George Orwell
It is almost universally felt that when we call a country democratic we are praising it consequently, the defenders of every kind of regime claim that it is a democracy, and fear that they might have to stop using the word if it were tied down to any one meaning.
Summary
This quote suggests that the term "democracy" is often misused, leading to confusion and disagreement about its true meaning. It implies that various political systems claim to be democratic to receive praise, despite potentially lacking true democratic principles. The quote also implies a fear among those defending non-democratic regimes that their misuse of the term might be exposed if a specific definition of democracy were established. Overall, the quote highlights the importance of clarifying the meaning of democracy to prevent its exploitation for political purposes.