--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The American experiment has always…" description: "\"The American experiment has always depended on a measure of tolerance and good sense.\" — David Ignatius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/david-ignatius-3910_american_the-american-experiment-has-always-depen_2339978.png" --- # The American experiment has always depended on a measure… ![“The American experiment has always depended on a measure of tolerance and good sense.” quote by David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/david-ignatius-3910_american_the-american-experiment-has-always-depen_2339978.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/david-ignatius-3910_american_the-american-experiment-has-always-depen_2339978.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/david-ignatius-3910_american_the-american-experiment-has-always-depen_2339978.png) > “The American experiment has always depended on a measure of tolerance and good sense.” [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America’s strength lies in its tolerance and common sense. **In simple terms:** Tolerance and sense sustain America. Key Takeaway Foster openness and reason. Themes tolerance common sense American values Mood hopeful reflective Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - community building - education curricula Key Concepts civic virtue pluralism social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect tolerance? - What role does common sense play in governance? A Different Perspective Tolerance can be challenged by extremism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Experiment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-experiment-1571296/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-sense/) [Measure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure/) [Measure Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measure-tolerance-5659041/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) [Tolerance Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance-good-4278760/) ## Related quotes > [Tolerance is a good cornerstone on which to build human relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/tolerance-is-a-good-cornerstone-on-which-to-build-human-relationships/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [He became another data point in the American experiment of self-government, an experiment statistically skewed from the outset, because it wasn't the people with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/he-became-another-data-point-in-the-american-experiment-of-self/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [“Washington, Franklin, Madison, Hamilton, Adams, and Jefferson had imagined the American experiment coming to all sorts of bad ends. They never imagined the Federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-a-mcdougall/washington-franklin-madison-hamilton-adams-and-jefferson-had-imagined/) [Walter A. McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-a-mcdougall/) > [It would be a sad thing if the religious and moral convictions upon which the American experiment was founded could now somehow be considered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/it-would-be-a-sad-thing-if-the-religious-and-moral-convictions-upon/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Our culture has forgotten what the Founders knew: The American experiment is a moral, not just a political, exercise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/our-culture-has-forgotten-what-the-founders-knew-the-american/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [The American experiment is not a theocracy and does not establish an official religion, but the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-pryor-jr/the-american-experiment-is-not-a-theocracy-and-does-not-establish-an/) [William H. Pryor, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-pryor-jr/) > [The whole American experiment has been predicated on giving individuals as much control over their own lives as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-whole-american-experiment-has-been-predicated-on-giving/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [We're giving our freedoms away. The American experiment was about freedom. Freedom to be stupid, freedom to fail, freedom to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-re-giving-our-freedoms-away-the-american-experiment-was-about/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [“The American experiment was based on the emergence in the second half of the eighteenth century of a fresh new possibility in human affairs:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-american-experiment-was-based-on-the-emergence-in-the-second-half/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [The challenge of the next millennium will be to preserve the American experiment by restoring its Christian perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-pryor/the-challenge-of-the-next-millennium-will-be-to-preserve-the-american/) [William H. Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-pryor/) > [Religious freedom, often referred to as the first freedom, is of central import to the American experiment. As such it should feature prominently in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-wolf/religious-freedom-often-referred-to-as-the-first-freedom-is-of/) [Frank Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-wolf/) > [That is the American experiment. An ethnic group arriving on America's shores, to be reviled and hazed, living in squalor, or if they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/that-is-the-american-experiment-an-ethnic-group-arriving-on-america-s/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Our American experiment deserves an advocate, and the American people respond best to inspiration, not fear-mongering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elissa-slotkin/our-american-experiment-deserves-an-advocate-and-the-american-people/) [Elissa Slotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elissa-slotkin/) > [The miracle of the American experiment was not the result of a natural sequence of events. An exceptionally virtuous and educated cadre of statesmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-wolf/the-miracle-of-the-american-experiment-was-not-the-result-of-a/) [Chad Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-wolf/) > [Libertarian immigration policy would be an experiment in which I don't think we should participate. We should not bet the republic that the results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-c-ting/libertarian-immigration-policy-would-be-an-experiment-in-which-i-don/) [Jan C. Ting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-c-ting/) ## More by David Ignatius > [Panic is a natural human response to danger, but it's one that severely compounds the risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/panic-is-a-natural-human-response-to-danger-but-it-s-one-that/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Global warming ... may be a plaintiff lawyer's dream. And it's interesting, in a perverse way, to imagine how a jury in 2050 might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/global-warming-may-be-a-plaintiff-lawyer-s-dream-and-it-s-interesting/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Fear brings out the best in some people and the worst in others. It's a test of character, for individuals and nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/fear-brings-out-the-best-in-some-people-and-the-worst-in-others-it-s/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [It's very hard to understand just what our strategy is in Syria, frankly, and on Iraq that this is Iraq's war, that the role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/it-s-very-hard-to-understand-just-what-our-strategy-is-in-syria/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [I believe, that there is at least de facto cooperation between United States and Iran, at least in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/i-believe-that-there-is-at-least-de-facto-cooperation-between-united/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [If you want to hear arguments against deploying a big U.S. ground force in Syria, just ask a general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/if-you-want-to-hear-arguments-against-deploying-a-big-u-s-ground/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [“If you are one in a million in China, you’re one of 1,300 people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/if-you-are-one-in-a-million-in-china-you-re-one-of-1-300-people/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [2011 is one of those years that historians are likely to look back on as a 'hinge.' And the truth, at once frightening and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/2011-is-one-of-those-years-that-historians-are-likely-to-look-back-on/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Big mistakes were made in Benghazi, and people should be held accountable. But the brave officers who staff American posts in crisis zones know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/big-mistakes-were-made-in-benghazi-and-people-should-be-held/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Intelligence services exist to do things that are illegal abroad. They exist to tell lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/intelligence-services-exist-to-do-things-that-are-illegal-abroad-they/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Foreign policy is about the execution of ideas as much as their formulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/foreign-policy-is-about-the-execution-of-ideas-as-much-as-their/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [The best restraint is old-fashioned market discipline, in which financial traders know that they, personally, will lose a ton of money if they take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-best-restraint-is-old-fashioned-market-discipline-in-which/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [CIA officers aren't idiots. They knew they were heading into deep water - legally and morally - when they signed up for the interrogation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/cia-officers-aren-t-idiots-they-knew-they-were-heading-into-deep/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Making economic policy isn't a popularity contest, especially when financial markets are in a panic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/making-economic-policy-isn-t-a-popularity-contest-especially-when/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > ['Cyber-security' is one of those hot topics that has launched a thousand seminars and strategy papers without producing much in the way of policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/cyber-security-is-one-of-those-hot-topics-that-has-launched-a/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) [Explore all 118 David Ignatius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. 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The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The American experiment has always depended on a measure of tolerance and good sense.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Ignatius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-american-experiment-has-always-depended-on-a-measure-of-tolerance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-american-experiment-has-always-depended-on-a-measure-of-tolerance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/david-ignatius-3910_american_the-american-experiment-has-always-depen_2339978.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/david-ignatius-3910_american_the-american-experiment-has-always-depen_2339978.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/799/david-ignatius-3910_american_the-american-experiment-has-always-depen_2339978.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The American experiment has always depended on a measure of tolerance and good sense.” — David Ignatius", "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 Ignatius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The American experiment has always depended...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-american-experiment-has-always-depended-on-a-measure-of-tolerance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-american-experiment-has-always-depended-on-a-measure-of-tolerance/#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 } } ] } ```