Abolition of slavery Quote by Bari Weiss
“Britain beat us to the abolition of slavery; the Isle of Man, New Zealand, and Finland all decided to give women the vote well before the United States. Eventually, we got smart and borrowed these egalitarian innovations.”
About This Quote
The quote notes that Britain and other places abolished slavery and granted women's suffrage earlier than the US, and that the US eventually adopted these progressive reforms.
In simple terms: Britain and others led in ending slavery and women's voting rights; the US later followed.
Learn from earlier innovators.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy making
- education
- activism
- comparative analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies anticipate progressive changes instead of following?
- What barriers delayed early adoption?
Adopting reforms later can be seen as reactive rather than proactive.