--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every step and every movement of the…" description: "\"Every step and every movement of the multitude, even in what are termed enlightened ages, are made with equal blindness to the future; and nations stum..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/adam-ferguson-55036_every-step_every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-mul_1882929.jpg" --- # Every step and every movement of the multitude, even in… ![“Every step and every movement of the multitude, even in what are termed enlightened ages, are made with equal blindness to the future; and nations stumble upon establishments, which are indeed the result of human action, but not the execution of any human design.” quote by Adam Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/adam-ferguson-55036_every-step_every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-mul_1882929.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/adam-ferguson-55036_every-step_every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-mul_1882929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/adam-ferguson-55036_every-step_every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-mul_1882929.jpg) > “Every step and every movement of the multitude, even in what are termed enlightened ages, are made with equal blindness to the future; and nations stumble upon establishments, which are indeed the result of human action, but not the execution of any human design.” [Adam Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human societies evolve without a single guiding plan; institutions arise from collective actions, not deliberate design. **In simple terms:** Societies grow from many small actions, not a master plan. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of planning in social change. Themes history society unpredictability Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - policy making - urban development - cultural shifts - technological adoption Key Concepts collective behavior emergent order Questions to Reflect On - Can we steer emergent systems effectively? - What role does intentional design play in societal evolution? A Different Perspective Assuming design can control complex systems may lead to failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) ## Related quotes > [Oh, blindness to the future! kindly giv'n, That each may fill the circle mark'd by heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/oh-blindness-to-the-future-kindly-giv-n-that-each-may-fill-the-circle/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [As a kid, I learned from my parents, teachers, coaches, and friends that what mattered most was Truth - to uncover it, share it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiva-ayyadurai/as-a-kid-i-learned-from-my-parents-teachers-coaches-and-friends-that/) [Shiva Ayyadurai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiva-ayyadurai/) > [It's like every step we take in our lives is a risk and yet we must go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/it-s-like-every-step-we-take-in-our-lives-is-a-risk-and-yet-we-must/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“IT TOOK a conscious effort for Tallow to keep his hand off his gun as he walked up the apartment building’s stairs. 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I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/) [Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) ## More by Adam Ferguson > [Like the winds that we come we know not whence and blow whither soever they list, the forces of society are derived from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/like-the-winds-that-we-come-we-know-not-whence-and-blow-whither/) [Adam Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/) > [In every commercial state, notwithstanding any pretension to equal rights, the exaltation of a few must depress the many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/in-every-commercial-state-notwithstanding-any-pretension-to-equal/) [Adam Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/) > [The history of mankind is confined within a limited period, and from every quarter brings an intimation that human affairs have had a beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/the-history-of-mankind-is-confined-within-a-limited-period-and-from/) [Adam Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/) > [The artist finds, that the more he can confine his attention to a particular part of any work, his productions are the more perfect,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/the-artist-finds-that-the-more-he-can-confine-his-attention-to-a/) [Adam Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/) > [Man, in his animal capacity, is qualified to subsist in every climate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/man-in-his-animal-capacity-is-qualified-to-subsist-in-every-climate/) [Adam Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/) [Explore all 6 Adam Ferguson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/) ## More Enlightened quotes > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. 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And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [For I did not know that the soul needs to be enlightened by light from outside itself, so that it can participate in truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-i-did-not-know-that-the-soul-needs-to-be-enlightened-by-light/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [In dealing with those who share his bed, the enlightened ruler may enjoy their beauty but should not listen to their special pleas...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-fei/in-dealing-with-those-who-share-his-bed-the-enlightened-ruler-may/) [Han Fei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-fei/) > [“Even when you have been somewhat enlightened by what you have read, you are called upon to continue the serach for significance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/even-when-you-have-been-somewhat-enlightened-by-what-you-have-read/) [Mortimer J. Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-j-adler/) > [I want to engage people in an honest, enlightened, and provocative conversation about the nature of erotic desire and the intricacies of intimacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-want-to-engage-people-in-an-honest-enlightened-and-provocative/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) [Browse all 1,151 Enlightened quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every step and every movement of the multitude, even in what are termed enlightened ages, are made with equal blindness to the future; and nations stumble upon establishments, which are indeed the result of human action, but not the execution of any human design.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Ferguson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-multitude-even-in-what-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enlightened" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-multitude-even-in-what-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/adam-ferguson-55036_every-step_every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-mul_1882929.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/adam-ferguson-55036_every-step_every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-mul_1882929.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a03/adam-ferguson-55036_every-step_every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-mul_1882929.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Every step and every movement of the multitude, even in what are termed enlightened ages, are made with…” — Adam Ferguson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Ferguson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ferguson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Every step and every movement of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-multitude-even-in-what-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ferguson/every-step-and-every-movement-of-the-multitude-even-in-what-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```