I believe that in every country the people themselves are more peaceably and liberally inclined than their governments.
Interpretation
People are generally more peaceful and open-minded than the governments that represent them.
Franklin D. Roosevelt's quote suggests that the common people of any nation are inherently more inclined towards peace and liberal values compared to the often restrictive and authoritarian nature of their governments. This highlights the potential disconnect between the population's desires and the actions of those in power, advocating for a view that emphasizes the goodwill of individuals over the decisions made by political leaders.
In practice
During a discussion on international relations, one might say this quote to highlight the gap between citizens and their governments.
There has been one persistent theme through all Axis propaganda. This theme has been that Americans are admittedly rich, that Americans have considerable industrial power - but that Americans are soft and decadent, that they cannot and will not unite and work and fight. ... Let them tell that to the Marines!
The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.
A war of ideas can no more be won without books than a naval war can be won without ships. Books, like ships, have the toughest armor, the longest cruising range, and mount the most powerful guns.
Better the occasional faults of a government that lives in a spirit of charity than the consistent omissions of a government frozen in the ice of its own indifference.
Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.
A world turned into a stereotype, a society converted into a regiment, a life translated into a routine, make it difficult for either art or artists to survive. Crush individuality in society and you crush art as well. Nourish the conditions of a free life and you nourish the arts, too.
Since man cannot live without miracles, he will provide himself with miracles of his own making. He will believe in witchcraft and sorcery, even though he may otherwise be a heretic, an atheist, and a rebel.
A narrative that branded Africa as little more than an economic, political and social basket case was not likely to provide the investment needed to drive development.
Europe and the world are waiting for us to defend the spirit of Enlightenment, threatened in so many places.
Insects sting, not from malice, but because they want to live. It is the same with critics; they desire our blood not our pain.
The basic question 'will I obey Christ 's teaching?' is rarely taken as a serious issue. For example, to take one of Jesus' commands, that is relevant to contemporary life, I don't know of any church that actually teaches a church how to bless people who curse them, yet this is a clear command.
The way of paradoxes is the way of truth. To test Reality we must see it on the tight-rope.
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