Our greatest leaders are neither dreamers nor dictators: They are, like Jefferson, those who articulate national aspirations yet master the mechanics of influence and know when to depart from dogma.
Jon MeachamRead
The perennial conviction that those who work hard and play by the rules will be rewarded with a more comfortable present and a stronger future for their children faces assault from just about every direction. That great enemy of democratic capitalism, economic inequality, is real and growing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The belief that hard work and following rules leads to prosperity is challenged by increasing economic inequality.
Jon Meacham points out that the widely held belief in meritocracy, where hard work and adherence to societal rules guarantee success, is under threat due to the rising issue of economic inequality. This inequality undermines the notion that effort alone can secure a better life, especially for future generations, prompting a reevaluation of what constitutes fair reward in a democratic capitalist society.
Themes
Economic InequalityHard WorkMeritocracyDemocratic CapitalismFuture Generations
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting discussing economic policies, this quote can be used to highlight the need for addressing inequality.
More from Jon Meacham
All quotes →It would be wonderful if the public sector were always great, or always terrible; or if the private sector were always great, or always terrible. Alas, reality is more complicated than comforting caricatures. Governments fail, and corporations fail.
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A wise nation should cultivate a political spirit that allows opponents to cooperate without fearing an automatic execution from their core supporters. Who knew that the real rogues in American politics would be the ones who dare to get along?
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Among the many problems with taking the Bible literally is it reduces the most mysterious and complex of realities to simple - even simplistic - terms. Yes, scripture speaks of fire and damnation and eternal bliss, but the Bible is the product of human hands and hearts, and much of the imagery is allegorical, not meteorological.
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