Conscience Quote by Frederik Willem de Klerk
“Sanctions kept us on our toes, it made us realize that we were drifting into a situation of growing isolation so I wouldn't go as far as to say sanctions didn't play a role but if I were to put on a scale, the issues of conscience played a much greater role than the sanctions. We could have withstood sanctions for many more years. We became experts in circumventing sanctions... So sanctions played a role but it wasn't the major role.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Address on International Relations, 1990s, South Africa
The speaker argues that moral considerations outweighed economic pressure from sanctions in influencing policy, though sanctions had some effect.
In simple terms: Conscience mattered more than sanctions.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize ethical values over external pressure.
Themes
politics
ethics
sanctions
policy
leadership
Mood
reflective
analytical
critical
Type
statement
analysis
reflection
When to use this quote
- government decision-making
- foreign policy
- business strategy
- human rights advocacy
- negotiation tactics
Key Concepts
moral agency
economic pressure
strategic adaptation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance moral imperatives with practical constraints?
- When might sanctions become the primary driver of change?
A Different Perspective
Sanctions may still have significant hidden impacts on economies and societies.
![“[D]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without a conscience a man may never be said to grow old. This is an age of very old young men.” quote by Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/076/hesketh-pearson-35291_age_d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-w_14010.jpg)