--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by…" description: "\"If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in which a demo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/anne-applebaum-2544_ambitious_if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-b_43452.png" --- # If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was… ![“If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in which a democratic Europe would be integrated by multiple economic, political, and cultural links, and held together beneath an umbrella of American hegemony.” quote by Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/anne-applebaum-2544_ambitious_if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-b_43452.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/anne-applebaum-2544_ambitious_if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-b_43452.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/anne-applebaum-2544_ambitious_if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-b_43452.png) > “If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in which a democratic Europe would be integrated by multiple economic, political, and cultural links, and held together beneath an umbrella of American hegemony.” [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) ## 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 asserts that Reagan and Pope John Paul II shared a vision of a unified Western civilization, anchored by democratic Europe and sustained by U.S. leadership. **In simple terms:** Shared vision of Western unity Key Takeaway Western political civilization hinges on U.S. hegemony Themes political integration cultural diplomacy American hegemony democratic Europe transatlantic alliance Mood reflective analytical critical Type historical observation political commentary When to use this quote - policy formulation - academic analysis - historical comparison - diplomatic strategy Key Concepts democracy geopolitics civilizational identity leadership Practical Applications - educational curricula - foreign‑policy briefings Questions to Reflect On - What implications does this view have for contemporary transatlantic relations? - How does the notion of American hegemony affect European autonomy? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) ## Related quotes > [Putin has had many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/putin-has-had-many-positive-experiences-working-with-western/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [A democratic Europe of nation states could be a force for liberty, enterprise and open trade. But, if creating a United States of Europe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/a-democratic-europe-of-nation-states-could-be-a-force-for-liberty/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“Bankers are seeking to capture government and make financial policy immune from democratic choice. What promised to be a progressive social democratic Europe half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/bankers-are-seeking-to-capture-government-and-make-financial-policy/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [I think that the Brexit negotiations have to be a big thing that determines the democratic fight-back and galvanizes democratic Europe again against this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-think-that-the-brexit-negotiations-have-to-be-a-big-thing-that/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I think it's perfectly possible for us to stay outside of power politics, or parliamentary politics, and speak about things like the American hegemony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatima-bhutto/i-think-it-s-perfectly-possible-for-us-to-stay-outside-of-power/) [Fatima Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatima-bhutto/) > [Resistance is feasible even for those who are not heroes by nature, and it is an obligation, I believe, for those who fear the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/resistance-is-feasible-even-for-those-who-are-not-heroes-by-nature/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There has been talk in Europe about American hegemony being somehow based upon the use of the dollar in the world. I just don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-solomon/there-has-been-talk-in-europe-about-american-hegemony-being-somehow/) [Robert C. Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-solomon/) > [The United States has weakened itself with Iraq; Iranians feel victorious - they feel capable of filling the void. I think from the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trita-parsi/the-united-states-has-weakened-itself-with-iraq-iranians-feel/) [Trita Parsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trita-parsi/) > [It can be said, truly said, that the Iraqi resistance is not just defending Iraq. They are defending all the Arabs and they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-galloway/it-can-be-said-truly-said-that-the-iraqi-resistance-is-not-just/) [George Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-galloway/) > [“Roberto Mangabeira Unger, Obama’s teacher at Harvard Law School and friend since then, has sought to hide his association with Obama. “I am a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/roberto-mangabeira-unger-obama-s-teacher-at-harvard-law-school-and/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [“Monotonous talk of the end of American hegemony, the universal cliché of the period, is mostly a way of avoiding mounting a serious opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ali/monotonous-talk-of-the-end-of-american-hegemony-the-universal-clich/) [Tariq Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ali/) > [“When you SEE into the invisible, you will DARE to do the impossible!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-warren/when-you-see-into-the-invisible-you-will-dare-to-do-the-impossible/) [John Paul Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-warren/) > [His Holiness Pope John Paul II was a determined and deeply spiritual minded person for whom I had great respect and admiration. His experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/his-holiness-pope-john-paul-ii-was-a-determined-and-deeply-spiritual/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“Leaders in OVER their heads is the mere result of getting ahead of their intended SEASON.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-warren/leaders-in-over-their-heads-is-the-mere-result-of-getting-ahead-of/) [John Paul Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-warren/) > [ “In this confusion we begin to see what lies behind John Paul II's startling warning about democracy "effectively mov\[ing\] towards a form of totalitarianism."… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cardinal-pell/in-this-confusion-we-begin-to-see-what-lies-behind-john-paul-ii-s/) [George Cardinal Pell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cardinal-pell/) ## More by Anne Applebaum > [Quite a lot has been written, including by me, about the effect of social media on politics, and in particular the way in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/quite-a-lot-has-been-written-including-by-me-about-the-effect-of/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [After Trump became president, it was really too late to investigate his dodgy investments in Azerbaijan or his links to Russian money laundering. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/after-trump-became-president-it-was-really-too-late-to-investigate/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Until the attack on Pearl Harbor, isolationism was an important, even dominant strand in U.S. politics. After the Second World War, this strand disappeared,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/until-the-attack-on-pearl-harbor-isolationism-was-an-important-even/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [The U.S.S.R. was a totalitarian state in which judges and prosecutors were controlled by the ruling party. The result was injustice, oppression and corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-u-s-s-r-was-a-totalitarian-state-in-which-judges-and-prosecutors/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [One knows, of course, that Donald Trump behaves differently from the leaders of other countries, especially the leaders of other Western democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/one-knows-of-course-that-donald-trump-behaves-differently-from-the/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [As a nation, we are not good at long-term planning, and no wonder: Our political system insists that every president be allowed to appoint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/as-a-nation-we-are-not-good-at-long-term-planning-and-no-wonder-our/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Amazingly, quite a few people, even some American conservatives, are taken in by Russian tactics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/amazingly-quite-a-few-people-even-some-american-conservatives-are/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Like wealth, or health, political freedom may simply be something that people don't value if they've always had it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/like-wealth-or-health-political-freedom-may-simply-be-something-that/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Unlike most European countries, the police in the US are decentralized; even the FBI has regional offices. Amending the constitution is a long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/unlike-most-european-countries-the-police-in-the-us-are-decentralized/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [The hard truth is that Trump was not exceptional. He was just another amoral Western businessman, one of many whom the ex-KGB elite have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-hard-truth-is-that-trump-was-not-exceptional-he-was-just-another/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Politics in Slovakia had long been a battle between egotistical men. Caputova sought to be the anti-ego alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/politics-in-slovakia-had-long-been-a-battle-between-egotistical-men/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [European security may now depend on Germany, France, Britain and one or two others, and it's better to start planning now for the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/european-security-may-now-depend-on-germany-france-britain-and-one-or/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Americans might not want to intervene in the outside world, but the outside world will still want to intervene in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/americans-might-not-want-to-intervene-in-the-outside-world-but-the/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [Romney was an excellent businessman with a strong record as a public servant - whereas Trump inherited wealth, went bankrupt more than once, created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/romney-was-an-excellent-businessman-with-a-strong-record-as-a-public/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [It isn't citizens, or Congress, who decide how our information network regulates itself. We don't get to decide how information companies collect data, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/it-isn-t-citizens-or-congress-who-decide-how-our-information-network/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) [Explore all 161 Anne Applebaum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) ## More Ambitious quotes > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [I want my squad to be confident, ambitious. They have to believe in big things and we have to set targets internally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-howe/i-want-my-squad-to-be-confident-ambitious-they-have-to-believe-in-big/) [Eddie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-howe/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [“Getting rich is easy, staying rich is impressive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-trip/getting-rich-is-easy-staying-rich-is-impressive/) [Don Trip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-trip/) > [Trying to be perfect may be inevitable for people who are smart and ambitious and interested in the world and its good opinion...What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/trying-to-be-perfect-may-be-inevitable-for-people-who-are-smart-and/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [I am ambitious to do more than what has been offered me. I want to be the best in whatever career I choose and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/i-am-ambitious-to-do-more-than-what-has-been-offered-me-i-want-to-be/) [Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/) > [There are four varieties in society — the lovers, the ambitious, observers, and fools. The fools are the happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippolyte-taine/there-are-four-varieties-in-society-the-lovers-the-ambitious/) [Hippolyte Taine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippolyte-taine/) > [People who are ambitious - politicians who crave power - think that they're in control of it, but at some point, the movement that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/people-who-are-ambitious-politicians-who-crave-power-think-that-they/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [I'm not ambitious. Not a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-m-not-ambitious-not-a-bit/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I understood early on that I was not the best-looking girl in the room. But I knew my advantage was a hard work ethic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/i-understood-early-on-that-i-was-not-the-best-looking-girl-in-the/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [To talk only about national security, national defense, means to be selfish, ambitious. It is discrimination, isolation. "It is just me. What do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evo-morales/to-talk-only-about-national-security-national-defense-means-to-be/) [Evo Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evo-morales/) > [I'm very ambitious when it comes to cameos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/i-m-very-ambitious-when-it-comes-to-cameos/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) [Browse all 1,269 Ambitious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in which a democratic Europe would be integrated by multiple economic, political, and cultural links, and held together beneath an umbrella of American hegemony.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Applebaum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambitious" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/anne-applebaum-2544_ambitious_if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-b_43452.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/anne-applebaum-2544_ambitious_if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-b_43452.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/anne-applebaum-2544_ambitious_if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-b_43452.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western…” — Anne Applebaum", "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": "Anne Applebaum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If Reagan and John Paul II...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/#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 } } ] } ```