I just finished a questionaire for Debbie Shing, who I met in Vancouver at Northern Voice.

Towards the end, I was reminded to go look up the following.

In order that an association among a democratic people should have any power, it must be a numerous body. The persons of whom it is composed are therefore scattered over a wide extent, and each of them is detained in the place of his domicile by the narrowness of his income or by the small unremitting exertions by which he earns it. Means must then be found to converse every day without seeing one another, and to take steps in common without having met. Thus hardly any democratic association can do without newspapers.

‘Replace “newspapers” with “community blogs” and you’ve got something,’ I wrote to Debbie.

I would challenge you to tell me who said it, but I’d rather archive this link instead.

Footnote: Love UVA’s online archive project. Just wish it was underway when I was there.