--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Western world has lost its civil…" description: "\"“The Western world has lost its civil courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, each government, each political party and of course in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn-18638_courage_the-western-world-has-lost-its-civil-cou_2998820.jpg" --- # The Western world has lost its civil courage, both as a… ![“The Western world has lost its civil courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, each government, each political party and of course in the United Nations. Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling groups and the intellectual elite, causing an impression…” quote by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn-18638_courage_the-western-world-has-lost-its-civil-cou_2998820.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn-18638_courage_the-western-world-has-lost-its-civil-cou_2998820.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn-18638_courage_the-western-world-has-lost-its-civil-cou_2998820.jpg) > ““The Western world has lost its civil courage, both as a whole and separately, in each country, each government, each political party and of course in the United Nations. Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling groups and the intellectual elite, causing an impression of loss of courage by the entire society.”” [Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote laments a widespread loss of civil courage across societies, especially among leaders and intellectuals, leading to societal timidity. **In simple terms:** Western societies lack collective bravery. Key Takeaway Encourage courage in public discourse. Themes civic responsibility political ethics social decay Mood concerned reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - government policy debates - academic freedom - NGO activism Key Concepts courage deficit elite disengagement Questions to Reflect On - How can societies rebuild civil courage? - What role do leaders play in fostering bravery? A Different Perspective Courage can be suppressed by fear of backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) [Political party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-party/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [The-west](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-west/) [United nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-nations/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [It is almost a general rule that nations do not decline gradually. 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Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) > [“A society which is based on the letter of the law and never reaches any higher is taking very scarce advantage of the high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/a-society-which-is-based-on-the-letter-of-the-law-and-never-reaches/) [Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Just as that puzzled savage who has picked up - a strange cast-up from the ocean? - something unearthed from the sands? - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/just-as-that-puzzled-savage-who-has-picked-up-a-strange-cast-up-from/) [Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) > [“Shukhov enjoyed it. He liked people pointing at him — see that man? 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Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) > [“But in the 17th century Russian Orthodoxy was gravely weakened by an internal schism. In the 18th, the country was shaken by Peter's forcibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/but-in-the-17th-century-russian-orthodoxy-was-gravely-weakened-by-an/) [Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) > [“The sole substitute for an experience we have not ourselves lived through is art and literature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/the-sole-substitute-for-an-experience-we-have-not-ourselves-lived/) [Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) > [“The Rusanovs loved the People, their great People. They served the People and were ready to give their lives for the People. 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Solzhenitsyn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-i-solzhenitsyn/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. 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