--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have long been convinced that families…" description: "\"I have long been convinced that families are the primary agents of social change in any society.\" — Elise M. Boulding" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/elise-m-boulding-34610_agents_i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families_1496155.png" --- # I have long been convinced that families are the primary… ![“I have long been convinced that families are the primary agents of social change in any society.” quote by Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/elise-m-boulding-34610_agents_i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families_1496155.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/elise-m-boulding-34610_agents_i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families_1496155.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/elise-m-boulding-34610_agents_i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families_1496155.png) > “I have long been convinced that families are the primary agents of social change in any society.” [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Families act as the central force driving societal transformation across generations. **In simple terms:** Families drive social change. Key Takeaway Support families to foster progress. Themes family social change institution generational impact Mood analytical reflective Type sociological inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - community programs - educational reforms - grassroots activism Key Concepts Sociology community development social capital Questions to Reflect On - What role can families play in your community? - How can institutions support families? A Different Perspective Families may lack resources to effect change alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-change/) ## Related quotes > [We are in a position of financial and social power, and we could be agents of change in our society. Without pretension, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-laliberte/we-are-in-a-position-of-financial-and-social-power-and-we-could-be/) [Guy Laliberte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-laliberte/) > [“The real determinant of society is hidden behind the state and the economy: it is the way in which our everyday activity is organised,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-holloway/the-real-determinant-of-society-is-hidden-behind-the-state-and-the/) [John Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-holloway/) > [One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/one-of-the-great-liabilities-of-history-is-that-all-too-many-people/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [It is time for corporate America to become 'the third pillar' of social change in our society, complementing the first two pillars of government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/it-is-time-for-corporate-america-to-become-the-third-pillar-of-social/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [Films can't change the society, they can simply open the space for the discussion which can lead to social change and can start new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-oppenheimer/films-can-t-change-the-society-they-can-simply-open-the-space-for-the/) [Joshua Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-oppenheimer/) > [Unless we as social change agents come from a certain kind of spirituality, we're likely to create more harm than good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/unless-we-as-social-change-agents-come-from-a-certain-kind-of/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [ \[While\] the primary responsibility, as we all acknowledge, (falls) with the family, ... Our homes, our families, our children's minds are being flooded by… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/while-the-primary-responsibility-as-we-all-acknowledge-falls-with-the/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [No bloody or unbloody change of society can eradicate the evil in man: as long as there will be men, there will be malice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/no-bloody-or-unbloody-change-of-society-can-eradicate-the-evil-in-man/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“Our guru taught some valuable thoughts so we easily bring a change in our society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mini/our-guru-taught-some-valuable-thoughts-so-we-easily-bring-a-change-in/) Mini > [I think all of us, politicians and churchmen, should do our utmost to change the society so that there would be no need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-all-of-us-politicians-and-churchmen-should-do-our-utmost-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [No genuine change in society ever occurs without the mass public getting behind a cause. The good guys in government are counting on enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-morcan/no-genuine-change-in-society-ever-occurs-without-the-mass-public/) [James Morcan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-morcan/) > [When individuals change, society will change. And when society changes, the whole world will change. The welfare of the individual is bound up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/when-individuals-change-society-will-change-and-when-society-changes/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [Change life! Change Society! These ideas lose completely their meaning without producing an appropriate space. A lesson to be learned from soviet constructivists from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-lefebvre/change-life-change-society-these-ideas-lose-completely-their-meaning/) [Henri Lefebvre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-lefebvre/) > [We are not just here to manage capitalism but to change society and to define its finer values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/we-are-not-just-here-to-manage-capitalism-but-to-change-society-and/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [We can change society, change humanity by changing ourselves as individuals. By cultivating inner values, we can change our own lives and those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-can-change-society-change-humanity-by-changing-ourselves-as/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) ## More by Elise M. Boulding > [Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyous words in the language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/frugality-is-one-of-the-most-beautiful-and-joyous-words-in-the/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [War is not inherent in human beings. We learn war and we learn peace. The culture of peace is something which is learned, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/war-is-not-inherent-in-human-beings-we-learn-war-and-we-learn-peace/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [We must look towards societies that set a high value on nonaggression and noncompetitive ness, and therefore handle conflicts by nonviolent means. We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/we-must-look-towards-societies-that-set-a-high-value-on-nonaggression/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [We're never going to have respectful and reverential relationships with the planet- and sensible policies about what we put in the air, the soil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/we-re-never-going-to-have-respectful-and-reverential-relationships/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/the-consumption-society-has-made-us-feel-that-happiness-lies-in/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [Fasting and feasting are universal human responses, and any meal, shared with love, can be an agape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/fasting-and-feasting-are-universal-human-responses-and-any-meal/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [For the real difference between happiness and joy is that one is grounded in this world, the other in eternity. Happiness cannot encompass suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/for-the-real-difference-between-happiness-and-joy-is-that-one-is/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [Storytelling bridges the generational gaps in ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/storytelling-bridges-the-generational-gaps-in-ideology/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [When three generations are present in a family, one of them is bound to be revolutionary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/when-three-generations-are-present-in-a-family-one-of-them-is-bound/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [A meal, however simple, is a moment of intersection. It is at once the most basic, the most fundamental, of our life's activities, maintaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/a-meal-however-simple-is-a-moment-of-intersection-it-is-at-once-the/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [Peace cultures thrive on and are nourished by visions of how things might be, in a world where sharing and caring are part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/peace-cultures-thrive-on-and-are-nourished-by-visions-of-how-things/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [Why is it that we are born remembering, and live forgetting?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/why-is-it-that-we-are-born-remembering-and-live-forgetting/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) > [There is no time left for anything but to make peace work a dimension of our every waking activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/there-is-no-time-left-for-anything-but-to-make-peace-work-a-dimension/) [Elise M. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) [Explore all 14 Elise M. Boulding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/) ## More Agents quotes > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/) Tom Atlee > [Love is the supreme form of communication. In the hierarchy of needs, love stands as the supreme developing agent of the humanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/love-is-the-supreme-form-of-communication-in-the-hierarchy-of-needs/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [I have always believed that women are not victims, we are agents of change, we are drivers of progress, we are makers of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-always-believed-that-women-are-not-victims-we-are-agents-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Many American TV actors employ agents, managers, business managers, publicists and stylists, and are now adding digital media manager to the list. Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [The ultimate goal of radical politics is gradually to displace the limit of social exclusions, empowering the excluded agents (sexual and ethnic minorities) by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-ultimate-goal-of-radical-politics-is-gradually-to-displace-the/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My first job was a film called 'Storm Damage' for the BBC. I was 16 and working with really respected British actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-madekwe/my-first-job-was-a-film-called-storm-damage-for-the-bbc-i-was-16-and/) [Ashley Madekwe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-madekwe/) > [Government is the agent of those who are too refined to do their own mugging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/government-is-the-agent-of-those-who-are-too-refined-to-do-their-own/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [While much of modern behavioral and social science treats individuals as autonomous agents, it is absolutely clear that the way we think and act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-r-nelson/while-much-of-modern-behavioral-and-social-science-treats-individuals/) Richard R. Nelson > [People went out there and they wrote articles and went on television shows saying that I am an operative that the CIA who used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/people-went-out-there-and-they-wrote-articles-and-went-on-television/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [The chief beneficiary of life insurance policies for young, single people is the life insurance agent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/the-chief-beneficiary-of-life-insurance-policies-for-young-single/) [Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/) > [“Honestly,” he says, “I judge writers on how they write queries. If you’re a good writer, you’re a good writer.” And if not, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-gessen/honestly-he-says-i-judge-writers-on-how-they-write-queries-if-you-re/) [Keith Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-gessen/) Browse all 1,567 Agents quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have long been convinced that families are the primary agents of social change in any society.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elise M. Boulding" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families-are-the-primary-agents-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families-are-the-primary-agents-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/elise-m-boulding-34610_agents_i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families_1496155.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/elise-m-boulding-34610_agents_i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families_1496155.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8b/elise-m-boulding-34610_agents_i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families_1496155.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have long been convinced that families are the primary agents of social change in any society.” — Elise M. Boulding", "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": "Elise M. Boulding", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elise-m-boulding/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have long been convinced that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families-are-the-primary-agents-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elise-m-boulding/i-have-long-been-convinced-that-families-are-the-primary-agents-of/#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 } } ] } ```