--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America is still the best country for the…" description: "\"America is still the best country for the common man -- white or black ... if he can't make it here he won't make it anywhere else.\" — Eric Hoffer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/eric-hoffer-343_america_america-is-still-the-best-country-for-th_1899063.jpg" --- # America is still the best country for the common man… ![“America is still the best country for the common man -- white or black ... if he can't make it here he won't make it anywhere else.” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/eric-hoffer-343_america_america-is-still-the-best-country-for-th_1899063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/eric-hoffer-343_america_america-is-still-the-best-country-for-th_1899063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/eric-hoffer-343_america_america-is-still-the-best-country-for-th_1899063.jpg) > “America is still the best country for the common man -- white or black ... if he can't make it here he won't make it anywhere else.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. America offers opportunity for all, but success requires effort regardless of race. **In simple terms:** America promises opportunity for all. Key Takeaway Work hard to seize opportunity. Themes equality opportunity hard work Mood optimistic critical Type sociopolitical inspirational When to use this quote - job search - education pursuit - entrepreneurship - immigration Key Concepts American Dream social mobility Questions to Reflect On - How can society reduce barriers to success? - What does “common man” mean today? A Different Perspective Systemic barriers may limit true equality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-best/) [Best country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-country/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-man/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Man White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-white-1157791/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) ## Related quotes > [America may be the best country in the world, but that's kind of like being the valedictorian of summer school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-miller/america-may-be-the-best-country-in-the-world-but-that-s-kind-of-like/) [Dennis Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-miller/) > [It is easy for Americans to forget a simple fact that is very clear to the people around the world that yearn to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/it-is-easy-for-americans-to-forget-a-simple-fact-that-is-very-clear/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [You know, America is - for me, it's the best country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/you-know-america-is-for-me-it-s-the-best-country/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [I know that I am a black man in a white world. . . I know that I never had it made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-robinson/i-know-that-i-am-a-black-man-in-a-white-world-i-know-that-i-never-had/) [Jackie Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-robinson/) > [“The man in white cleared his throat. “You’re not a swan,” she said. He raised both eyebrows. “I’ve been accused of many things, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-kingfisher/the-man-in-white-cleared-his-throat-you-re-not-a-swan-she-said-he/) [T. Kingfisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-kingfisher/) > [“There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads – they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/there-s-something-in-our-world-that-makes-men-lose-their-heads-they-2/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [The truth is, no man is white and no man is black. We are all freckled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/the-truth-is-no-man-is-white-and-no-man-is-black-we-are-all-freckled/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [We are not anti-white. But we don't have time for the white man. The white man is on top already, the white man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/we-are-not-anti-white-but-we-don-t-have-time-for-the-white-man-the/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [ That's the nature of my \[stand-up\] act: black man with a white baby. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-kamau-bell/that-s-the-nature-of-my-stand-up-act-black-man-with-a-white-baby/) [W. Kamau Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-kamau-bell/) > [I'm dreaming of a white president. Just like the ones we've always had. A real live white man. Who knows the score, how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/i-m-dreaming-of-a-white-president-just-like-the-ones-we-ve-always-had/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [“They began to care less about the way they looked, the way they dressed, the things they did; presently, one found them in twos…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/they-began-to-care-less-about-the-way-they-looked-the-way-they/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“You're not a bad man or a stupid man, what you are is a white man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-lee-stephen/you-re-not-a-bad-man-or-a-stupid-man-what-you-are-is-a-white-man/) [Barbra-Lee Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-lee-stephen/) > [It's nice that people can call me an artist and it's nice that I can refer to myself as such, but it also kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matana-roberts/it-s-nice-that-people-can-call-me-an-artist-and-it-s-nice-that-i-can/) [Matana Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matana-roberts/) > [Through my singing and acting and speaking, I want to make freedom ring. Maybe I can touch people's hearts better than I can their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-robeson/through-my-singing-and-acting-and-speaking-i-want-to-make-freedom/) [Paul Robeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-robeson/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More by Eric Hoffer > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-creative-mind-is-the-playful-mind-philosophy-is-the-play-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-best-part-of-the-art-of-living-is-to-know-how-to-grow-old/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“In the alchemy of man's soul almost all noble attributes--courage, honor, love, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, etc.--can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [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'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "America is still the best country for the common man -- white or black ... if he can't make it here he won't make it anywhere else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Hoffer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/america-is-still-the-best-country-for-the-common-man-white-or-black/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/america-is-still-the-best-country-for-the-common-man-white-or-black/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/eric-hoffer-343_america_america-is-still-the-best-country-for-th_1899063.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/eric-hoffer-343_america_america-is-still-the-best-country-for-th_1899063.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd0/eric-hoffer-343_america_america-is-still-the-best-country-for-th_1899063.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“America is still the best country for the common man -- white or black ... if he can't make it here he won't…” — Eric Hoffer", "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": "Eric Hoffer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "America is still the best country...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/america-is-still-the-best-country-for-the-common-man-white-or-black/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/america-is-still-the-best-country-for-the-common-man-white-or-black/#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 } } ] } ```