--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should be more modest in our belief…" description: "\"We should be more modest in our belief that we can impose democracy on a country through military force.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/barack-obama-17_belief_we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-t_3141287.jpg" --- # We should be more modest in our belief that we can impose… ![“We should be more modest in our belief that we can impose democracy on a country through military force.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/barack-obama-17_belief_we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-t_3141287.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/barack-obama-17_belief_we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-t_3141287.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/barack-obama-17_belief_we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-t_3141287.jpg) > “We should be more modest in our belief that we can impose democracy on a country through military force.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imposing democracy by force is overly optimistic; modesty acknowledges limits of military power. **In simple terms:** Military cannot reliably create democracy. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of force in political change. Themes politics military democracy humility Mood cautious reflective Type analytical policy When to use this quote - foreign policy planning - military training - NGO work - academic research Key Concepts realism sovereignty nationbuilding Questions to Reflect On - What non‑military tools can foster democratic values? - How do cultural contexts affect political change? A Different Perspective Force alone cannot sustain democratic institutions without local support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-country-1823737/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Impose Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impose-democracy-2643106/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Military force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military-force/) [Modest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modest/) [Modest Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modest-belief-5599068/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) ## Related quotes > [It 's really hard to impose democracy. It has to emerge naturally. You have to get out of the way and let it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/it-s-really-hard-to-impose-democracy-it-has-to-emerge-naturally-you/) [Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/) > [But how can you speed up the transformation of society in a country as large as Russia? Those sounding the moral outcry are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-klaus/but-how-can-you-speed-up-the-transformation-of-society-in-a-country/) [Vaclav Klaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-klaus/) > [But at the same time, I think we recognize we can't impose democracy from without, particularly American-style democracy. We need to work with those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carlucci/but-at-the-same-time-i-think-we-recognize-we-can-t-impose-democracy/) [Frank Carlucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carlucci/) > [We should never hesitate to use military force, and I will not, as president, in order to keep the American people safe. But we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-never-hesitate-to-use-military-force-and-i-will-not-as/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/we-can-have-democracy-in-this-country-or-we-can-have-great-wealth/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [The perspective that many today are beginning to see as fully realistic is that democracy in our country, and in our part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/the-perspective-that-many-today-are-beginning-to-see-as-fully/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [What I see is a grown-up recognition of democracy in this country, that we still have a monarch that plays his part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/what-i-see-is-a-grown-up-recognition-of-democracy-in-this-country/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [I was never convinced that war was the best system to bring democracy to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-berlusconi/i-was-never-convinced-that-war-was-the-best-system-to-bring-democracy/) [Silvio Berlusconi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-berlusconi/) > [Political violence has no place in Pennsylvania - the birthplace of American democracy - nor anywhere else across this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-shapiro/political-violence-has-no-place-in-pennsylvania-the-birthplace-of/) [Josh Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-shapiro/) > [You don't have any vestige of democracy in this country. A report recently came out of Princeton University claiming that, of all the policies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/you-don-t-have-any-vestige-of-democracy-in-this-country-a-report/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Debate is almost non-existent and no one is apparently accountable to anybody apart from their political party bosses. It is bad news for democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/debate-is-almost-non-existent-and-no-one-is-apparently-accountable-to/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [How do you deliver democracy to a country? You don't do it down the barrel of a gun. That's not how you deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/how-do-you-deliver-democracy-to-a-country-you-don-t-do-it-down-the/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [One person alone can't do anything as important as bringing genuine democracy to a country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/one-person-alone-can-t-do-anything-as-important-as-bringing-genuine/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [You cannot bring democracy to a country by attacking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akbar-ganji/you-cannot-bring-democracy-to-a-country-by-attacking-it/) [Akbar Ganji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akbar-ganji/) > [In a free country, America, or India, and Japan, and many places, democracy country, free country, but still within the sort of rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/in-a-free-country-america-or-india-and-japan-and-many-places/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should be more modest in our belief that we can impose democracy on a country through military force.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-that-we-can-impose-democracy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-that-we-can-impose-democracy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/barack-obama-17_belief_we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-t_3141287.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/barack-obama-17_belief_we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-t_3141287.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/263/barack-obama-17_belief_we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-t_3141287.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should be more modest in our belief that we can impose democracy on a country through military force.” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should be more modest in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-that-we-can-impose-democracy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-should-be-more-modest-in-our-belief-that-we-can-impose-democracy/#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 } } ] } ```