---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Trying to be a socialist and a…"
description: "\"Trying to be a socialist and a libertarian is obviously a very difficult balancing act, which nobody has pulled off too successfully in this century.\" ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/david-hare-9074_balancing-act_trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertari_170652.jpg"
---

#  Trying to be a socialist and a libertarian is obviously a…

![“Trying to be a socialist and a libertarian is obviously a very difficult balancing act, which nobody has pulled off too successfully in this century.” quote by David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/david-hare-9074_balancing-act_trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertari_170652.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/david-hare-9074_balancing-act_trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertari_170652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/david-hare-9074_balancing-act_trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertari_170652.jpg)

> “Trying to be a socialist and a libertarian is obviously a very difficult balancing act, which nobody has pulled off too successfully in this century.”

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Combining socialist and libertarian ideas is extremely hard and rarely successful today.

**In simple terms:** Mixing left and right ideas is difficult.

Key Takeaway

Seek realistic political balance.

Themes

politics ideology balance

Mood

thoughtful skeptical

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- policy making
- activism
- public debate

Key Concepts

political theory pragmatism

Questions to Reflect On

- Can opposing ideologies coexist peacefully?
- What compromises are acceptable?

A Different Perspective

Compromise may dilute core principles.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Balancing act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing-act/) [Libertarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libertarian/) [Socialist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialist/)

## Related quotes

> [Obviously it's difficult not to compare one record success-wise, or sales-wise, or whatever, but I think you're always going to have moments - whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elly-jackson/obviously-it-s-difficult-not-to-compare-one-record-success-wise-or/)

[Elly Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elly-jackson/)

> [You try to stay as even-keel as possible; obviously, it's always more difficult when you're going through a tough season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howland/you-try-to-stay-as-even-keel-as-possible-obviously-it-s-always-more/)

[Ben Howland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howland/)

> [If you start a conversation with the assumption that you are right or that you must win, obviously it is difficult to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/if-you-start-a-conversation-with-the-assumption-that-you-are-right-or/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [Those first few overs are obviously the most difficult time because you don't know what the ball is going to do in the air…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-rahul/those-first-few-overs-are-obviously-the-most-difficult-time-because/)

[K. L. Rahul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-rahul/)

> [It is obviously difficult in Manchester living in a hotel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-sane/it-is-obviously-difficult-in-manchester-living-in-a-hotel/)

[Leroy Sane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-sane/)

> [A good story is obviously a difficult thing to invent, but its difficulty is a poor reason for despising it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-good-story-is-obviously-a-difficult-thing-to-invent-but-its/)

[W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/)

> [I'm vey bad at marshaling arguments. I can't, at a dinner party, explain why I'm a socialist and why others should be socialists as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-vey-bad-at-marshaling-arguments-i-can-t-at-a-dinner-party-explain/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [“The last one's hard. Marriage is always a balancing act, and it's never a good idea for one partner to get too big a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/the-last-one-s-hard-marriage-is-always-a-balancing-act-and-it-s-never/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [“Life is a balancing act that can be fun if you let it. Appreciation and striving both have a vital role in your well-being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-balancing-act-that-can-be-fun-if-you-let-it-appreciation/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When you listen to the music, you can also see the film or read the article, and it's all part of the same journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-crowe/when-you-listen-to-the-music-you-can-also-see-the-film-or-read-the/)

[Cameron Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-crowe/)

> [And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/and-will-you-succeed-yes-you-will-indeed/)

[Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/)

> [We are all trying to balance our careers and children and give as much of ourselves and our time to them. You work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-preston/we-are-all-trying-to-balance-our-careers-and-children-and-give-as/)

[Kelly Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-preston/)

> [“It’s what we wrestle with every single day. The intersection of comfort, danger, and safety. The balancing act between vulnerability and shame. The opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-s-what-we-wrestle-with-every-single-day-the-intersection-of/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continual-balancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. Every morning came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-s/i-once-asked-you-what-anxiety-felt-like-and-you-told-me-that-most/)

d.a.s

## More by David Hare

> [The poetry from the eighteenth century was prose; the prose from the seventeenth century was poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/the-poetry-from-the-eighteenth-century-was-prose-the-prose-from-the/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [I'm not good at standing on platforms and persuading people to my political point of view. Nor would I seek to. My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [I'm trying to write something in which you know that it's all about sex but you never see any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-trying-to-write-something-in-which-you-know-that-it-s-all-about/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [Weak minds sink under prosperity as well as adversity; but strong and deep ones have two high tides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/weak-minds-sink-under-prosperity-as-well-as-adversity-but-strong-and/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [You cant get a contemporary story about what is going on inside government, and how society sees itself, on American TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/you-cant-get-a-contemporary-story-about-what-is-going-on-inside/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [In oratory the will must predominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/in-oratory-the-will-must-predominate/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [I actually think love changes everything. I think it's the only thing worth having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-actually-think-love-changes-everything-i-think-it-s-the-only-thing/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [When you get older, then you feel death not at the end of the road, but death all around you, in everything. Life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/when-you-get-older-then-you-feel-death-not-at-the-end-of-the-road-but/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [My father always said 'There's no free lunch.' My father was right. There's no free lunch and there's no free market. The market is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/my-father-always-said-there-s-no-free-lunch-my-father-was-right-there/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [To those whose God is honor; only disgrace is a sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/to-those-whose-god-is-honor-only-disgrace-is-a-sin/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [Thought is the wind and knowledge the sail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/thought-is-the-wind-and-knowledge-the-sail/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [Surely our job while we're here on Earth is to learn about the world, not to create parallel universes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/surely-our-job-while-we-re-here-on-earth-is-to-learn-about-the-world/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [I have a very, very good relationship with 10 percent of the audience. The only purpose of art is intimacy. That's the only point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-have-a-very-very-good-relationship-with-10-percent-of-the-audience/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [“You make love like a wounded panther. You are like a paintshop on fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/you-make-love-like-a-wounded-panther-you-are-like-a-paintshop-on-fire/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [Never take advice from anyone with no investment in the outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/never-take-advice-from-anyone-with-no-investment-in-the-outcome/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

[Explore all 75 David Hare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

## More Balancing act quotes

> [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. Every morning came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-s/i-once-asked-you-what-anxiety-felt-like-and-you-told-me-that-most/)

d.a.s

> [Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continual-balancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [“It’s what we wrestle with every single day. The intersection of comfort, danger, and safety. The balancing act between vulnerability and shame. The opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/it-s-what-we-wrestle-with-every-single-day-the-intersection-of/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [We are all trying to balance our careers and children and give as much of ourselves and our time to them. You work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-preston/we-are-all-trying-to-balance-our-careers-and-children-and-give-as/)

[Kelly Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-preston/)

> [And will you succeed? Yes, you will indeed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/and-will-you-succeed-yes-you-will-indeed/)

[Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/)

> [When you listen to the music, you can also see the film or read the article, and it's all part of the same journey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-crowe/when-you-listen-to-the-music-you-can-also-see-the-film-or-read-the/)

[Cameron Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-crowe/)

> [“Life is a balancing act that can be fun if you let it. Appreciation and striving both have a vital role in your well-being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-a-balancing-act-that-can-be-fun-if-you-let-it-appreciation/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“The last one's hard. Marriage is always a balancing act, and it's never a good idea for one partner to get too big a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/the-last-one-s-hard-marriage-is-always-a-balancing-act-and-it-s-never/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [I love the idea that 'a person is a person no matter how small'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-love-the-idea-that-a-person-is-a-person-no-matter-how-small/)

[Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/)

> [My one concern is that Hu Jintao may overestimate how much power China has in Pyongyang. They have - they do have influence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/my-one-concern-is-that-hu-jintao-may-overestimate-how-much-power/)

[Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/)

> [Communication is a continualbalancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacyand independence. To survivein the world, we have to act in concert with others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/communication-is-a-continualbalancing-act-juggling-the-conflicting/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [We're going to sing about things that matter to us. The balancing act is to present these ideas but also make the music exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/we-re-going-to-sing-about-things-that-matter-to-us-the-balancing-act/)

[Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/)

> [“Even when we can pinpoint “something good” that came out of a tragedy, it never balances out what we have lost. How could anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-custis-james/even-when-we-can-pinpoint-something-good-that-came-out-of-a-tragedy/)

[Carolyn Custis James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-custis-james/)

> [Redistributing tokens is a balancing act. In most cases, forks probably want to keep ownership for users constant so users have at least the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ehrsam/redistributing-tokens-is-a-balancing-act-in-most-cases-forks-probably/)

[Fred Ehrsam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ehrsam/)

> [When my son was a mere three months old, I started working at the State Department. I was not only the youngest Assistant Secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/when-my-son-was-a-mere-three-months-old-i-started-working-at-the/)

[Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/)

[Browse all 111 Balancing act quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing-act/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Trying to be a socialist and a libertarian is obviously a very difficult balancing act, which nobody has pulled off too successfully in this century.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Hare"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertarian-is-obviously-a-very/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Balancing act"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertarian-is-obviously-a-very/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/david-hare-9074_balancing-act_trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertari_170652.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/david-hare-9074_balancing-act_trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertari_170652.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b19/david-hare-9074_balancing-act_trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertari_170652.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Trying to be a socialist and a libertarian is obviously a very difficult balancing act, which nobody has…” — David Hare",
                "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": "David Hare",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Trying to be a socialist and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertarian-is-obviously-a-very/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/trying-to-be-a-socialist-and-a-libertarian-is-obviously-a-very/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
