Quote of the day by Margaret Atwood: ‘Literacy and democracy go hand in hand…’

“Reading and writing, like everything else, improve with practice. And, of course, if there are no young readers and writers, there will shortly be no older ones. Literacy will be dead, and democracy - which many believe goes hand in hand with it - will be dead as well.” — Margaret Atwood

In LiveMint's quote of the day, author Margaret Atwood highlights the essential role of literacy in maintaining a free society.

With this quote, she suggested that the arts of reading and writing are not only personal skills that require constant refinement but are also the lifeblood of democracy — without a literate youth, the intellectual infrastructure of political systems eventually fails.

What does the quote mean?

Margaret Atwood’s message on the vital link between literacy and democracy serves as both a practical reminder and a philosophical warning.

In the quote, she asserted that reading and writing are skills that must be cultivated through deliberate practice, much like any other discipline. She also extended this logic to a generational scale, arguing that if the cycle of literacy is broken, society will lose its ability to engage in the critical thinking necessary for self-governance.

For Atwood, literacy was the primary tool that allowed individuals to decipher information, articulate their needs, and participate in the democratic process.

Without education — capability of deep reading and clear expression — citizens become vulnerable to manipulation, and the democratic experiment faces an existential threat, she said.

Where does the quote come from?

LiveMint's quote is a central theme of Margaret Atwood’s career as a public intellectual and advocate for the arts. It is famously drawn from her 2004 essay Reading and Writing: The Long and Short of It, which was later collected in her anthology of non-fiction, Moving Targets: Writing with Intent 1982-2004.

In this work, Atwood reflected on the evolution of reading habits and the necessity of maintaining a literate public. Throughout her career, she frequently addressed the intersection of language and power, advocating for libraries and educational systems as the foundational safeguards of civil liberties.

How to apply the quote today

• Practice reading and writing daily: Set aside time to read long-form texts and write down reflections to sharpen the mind and vocabulary.
• Invest in the future: Support local libraries, schools, and literacy programs that help young people discover the agency found in reading and writing.
• Stay informed and engaged: Reading widely across different genres and perspectives helps avoid cognitive decline associated with passive media consumption.
• Understand your power: The ability to process and produce complex language is a key component of a citizen's power in a democratic society.

About Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood is a preeminent Canadian novelist, poet, and critic whose career spans more than six decades. Born in Ottawa in 1939, she has become one of the most influential voices in modern literature.

Her work frequently explores themes of power, gender, identity, and environmental collapse. Her most famous novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, became a global cultural touchstone.

A winner of two Booker Prizes, Atwood remains a tireless advocate for the written word.