--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe in aristocracy, though -- if…" description: "\"“I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power, based upon rank and influenc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/e-m-forster-2-1148_aristocracy_i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that_28487.jpg" --- # I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right… ![“I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power, based upon rank and influence, but an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate and the plucky. Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the…” quote by E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/e-m-forster-2-1148_aristocracy_i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that_28487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/e-m-forster-2-1148_aristocracy_i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that_28487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/e-m-forster-2-1148_aristocracy_i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that_28487.jpg) > ““I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power, based upon rank and influence, but an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate and the plucky. Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the ages, and there is a secreat understanding between them when they meet. They represent the true human tradition, the one permanent victory of our queer race over cruelty and chaos. Thousands of them perish in obscurity, a few are great names. They are sensitive for others as well as themselves, they are considerate without being fussy, their pluck is not swankiness but power to endure, and they can take a joke.”” [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call for a meritocracy of empathy and courage, valuing sensitivity and resilience over status and power. **In simple terms:** Advocates a humane elite based on character. Key Takeaway True strength lies in compassion and grit. Themes Humanism Meritocracy Empathy Resilience Social Equality Mood Inspirational Reflective Hopeful Type Philosophical Social Commentary Anecdotal When to use this quote - Leadership selection - Community building - Mentorship programs - Crisis response teams Key Concepts Aristocracy of the Sensitive Moral Leadership Cultural Continuity Practical Applications - Designing inclusive hiring criteria - Developing character-focused education Questions to Reflect On - How can societies recognize and reward sensitivity? - What structures nurture pluck without elitism? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aristocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) [Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forster/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe in aristocracy. . . — if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/i-believe-in-aristocracy-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a-democrat/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though—if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power ... but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-forster/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a-3/) E. M. Forster Forster > [“I believe in aristocracy, though—if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power … but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a-2/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [I distrust Great Men... I believe in aristocracy, though... Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/i-distrust-great-men-i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-its-members-are/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [There is an aristocracy of the sensitive. They represent the true human tradition of permanent victory over cruelty and chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/there-is-an-aristocracy-of-the-sensitive-they-represent-the-true/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [“There are many ways of being a man; mine is to express what is deepest in my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/there-are-many-ways-of-being-a-man-mine-is-to-express-what-is-deepest/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Begun 1913 Finished 1914 Dedicated to a Happier Year”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/begun-1913-finished-1914-dedicated-to-a-happier-year/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Indeed, he was sensitive rather than responsive. In every remark he found a meaning, but not always the true meaning, and his life, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/indeed-he-was-sensitive-rather-than-responsive-in-every-remark-he/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“What the story does do, all it can do, is to transform us from readers into listeners, to whom 'a' voice speaks, the voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/what-the-story-does-do-all-it-can-do-is-to-transform-us-from-readers/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Indoors herself, partaking of tea with old Mrs Butterworth, she reflected that it is impossible to foretell the future with any degree of accuracy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/indoors-herself-partaking-of-tea-with-old-mrs-butterworth-she/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“I should have gone through life half awake if you'd had the decency to leave me alone. Awake intellectually, yes, and emotionally in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-should-have-gone-through-life-half-awake-if-you-d-had-the-decency/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“He was not sure, but liked it. It recurred when they met suddenly or had been silent. It beckoned to him across intellect, saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/he-was-not-sure-but-liked-it-it-recurred-when-they-met-suddenly-or/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Miss Abbott, don't worry over me. Some people are born not to do things. I'm one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/miss-abbott-don-t-worry-over-me-some-people-are-born-not-to-do-things/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [Christians believe themselves to be the aristocracy of heaven upon earth, they are admitted to the spiritual court, while millions of men in foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-winwood-reade/christians-believe-themselves-to-be-the-aristocracy-of-heaven-upon/) [William Winwood Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-winwood-reade/) > [“Despite a lifetime of social indoctrination, Marcus did not believe in aristocracy of any kind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/despite-a-lifetime-of-social-indoctrination-marcus-did-not-believe-in/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by E.M. Forster > [“She gave up trying to understand herself, and the vast armies of the benighted, who follow neither the heart nor the brain, and march…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/she-gave-up-trying-to-understand-herself-and-the-vast-armies-of-the/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“They had tried to reproduce their own attitude to life upon the stage, and to dress up as the middle-class English people they actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/they-had-tried-to-reproduce-their-own-attitude-to-life-upon-the-stage/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Oh, what's the use of your fairmindedness if you never decide for yourself? Anyone gets hold of you and makes you do what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/oh-what-s-the-use-of-your-fairmindedness-if-you-never-decide-for/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“You mean that a Frenchman could share with a friend and yet not go to prison?’ ‘Share? Do you mean unite? If both are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/you-mean-that-a-frenchman-could-share-with-a-friend-and-yet-not-go-to/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Margaret realized the chaotic nature of our daily life, and its difference from the orderly sequence that has been fabricated by historians. Actual life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/margaret-realized-the-chaotic-nature-of-our-daily-life-and-its/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Everything seems just alike in these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/everything-seems-just-alike-in-these-days/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“He had said it bravely, and that is why one can trust Beethoven when he says other things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/he-had-said-it-bravely-and-that-is-why-one-can-trust-beethoven-when/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“He whispered: ‘Is it this? Is this possible? I’ll put a marvel to you. That your cousin has always hoped. That from the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/he-whispered-is-it-this-is-this-possible-i-ll-put-a-marvel-to-you/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Perhaps anything that he did would have pleased Lucy, but his awkwardness went straight to her heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/perhaps-anything-that-he-did-would-have-pleased-lucy-but-his/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“Because a thing is going strong now, it need not go strong for ever,' she said. 'This craze for motion has only set in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/because-a-thing-is-going-strong-now-it-need-not-go-strong-for-ever/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“England was alive, throbbing through all her estuaries, crying for joy through the mouths of all her gulls, and the north wind, with contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/england-was-alive-throbbing-through-all-her-estuaries-crying-for-joy/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“But the poetry of that kiss, the wonder of it, the magic that there was in life for hours after it--who can describe that?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/but-the-poetry-of-that-kiss-the-wonder-of-it-the-magic-that-there-was/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“But that some sonatas of Beethoven are written tragic no one can gainsay; yet they can triumph or despair as the player decides, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/but-that-some-sonatas-of-beethoven-are-written-tragic-no-one-can/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“He chanced to be in a lucid critical mood, and would not sympathize with exaltation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/he-chanced-to-be-in-a-lucid-critical-mood-and-would-not-sympathize/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [“I am swathed in cant', she thought, 'and it is good for me to be stripped of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-am-swathed-in-cant-she-thought-and-it-is-good-for-me-to-be-stripped/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) [Explore all 274 E.M. Forster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) ## More Aristocracy quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [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/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. The jokes about death for the sake of the motherland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/motherland-is-our-property-and-we-have-right-to-handle-our-properties/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/there-is-an-artificial-aristocracy-founded-on-wealth-and-birth/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Your best friends are your principles, if you havent them, dont look for another friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/your-best-friends-are-your-principles-if-you-havent-them-dont-look/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [A strong saying is not afraid of criticism, because it includes all the answers to criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-strong-saying-is-not-afraid-of-criticism-because-it-includes-all/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [Tomorrow every Duchess in London will be waiting to kiss me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macdonald/tomorrow-every-duchess-in-london-will-be-waiting-to-kiss-me/) [Ramsay MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macdonald/) > [“Why do these big old country houses always have family portraits in the dining room? Do you really want to eat with someone's gloomy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-jane-howard/why-do-these-big-old-country-houses-always-have-family-portraits-in/) [Elizabeth Jane Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-jane-howard/) > [“I believe in aristocracy, though—if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power … but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-n-aron/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a-2/) [Elaine N. Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-n-aron/) > [Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations. Books, the oldest and the best, stand naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/books-are-the-treasured-wealth-of-the-world-and-the-fit-inheritance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We stand a better chance with aristocracy, whether hereditary or elective, than with monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-stiles/we-stand-a-better-chance-with-aristocracy-whether-hereditary-or/) [Ezra Stiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-stiles/) > [ The law for religious freedom... \[has\]put down the aristocracy of the clergy and restored to the citizen the freedom of the mind. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-law-for-religious-freedom-has-put-down-the-aristocracy-of-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Common sense, in so far as it exists, is all for the bourgeoisie. Nonsense is the privilege of the aristocracy. The worries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/common-sense-in-so-far-as-it-exists-is-all-for-the-bourgeoisie/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) > [A noble person stands up as though a theater curtain rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/a-noble-person-stands-up-as-though-a-theater-curtain-rises/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) [Browse all 426 Aristocracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I believe in aristocracy, though -- if that is the right word, and if a democrat may use it. Not an aristocracy of power, based upon rank and influence, but an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate and the plucky. Its members are to be found in all nations and classes, and all through the ages, and there is a secreat understanding between them when they meet. They represent the true human tradition, the one permanent victory of our queer race over cruelty and chaos. Thousands of them perish in obscurity, a few are great names. They are sensitive for others as well as themselves, they are considerate without being fussy, their pluck is not swankiness but power to endure, and they can take a joke.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E.M. 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