--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Greece had gone through a very normal…" description: "\"If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and ver..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/george-papandreou-9739_barbarism_if-greece-had-gone-through-a-very-normal_779509.jpg" --- # If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I… ![“If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and very difficult struggles and polarization and the barbarism of dictatorships - that made me feel that we had to change this country.” quote by George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/george-papandreou-9739_barbarism_if-greece-had-gone-through-a-very-normal_779509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/george-papandreou-9739_barbarism_if-greece-had-gone-through-a-very-normal_779509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/541/george-papandreou-9739_barbarism_if-greece-had-gone-through-a-very-normal_779509.jpg) > “If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and very difficult struggles and polarization and the barbarism of dictatorships - that made me feel that we had to change this country.” [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political turmoil can motivate individuals to pursue change, turning personal hardship into a catalyst for national reform. **In simple terms:** Hardship can inspire political activism. Key Takeaway Channel personal struggles into civic engagement. Themes politics activism change resilience leadership Mood reflective hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - elections - policy reform - grassroots movements Key Concepts civic duty social justice historical context Questions to Reflect On - What reforms would you prioritize? - How does personal experience shape your political vision? A Different Perspective Personal pain may not translate into effective policy without strategic planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barbarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarism/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dictatorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictatorship/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Greece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greece/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Polarization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polarization/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-life/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Upheaval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upheaval/) ## Related quotes > [The number of states in the union has been fixed at 50 for so long, few Americans realize that throughout most of our history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/the-number-of-states-in-the-union-has-been-fixed-at-50-for-so-long/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [I understand what a normal political speech is. You get up there, tell a few jokes, you have the flags behind you, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/i-understand-what-a-normal-political-speech-is-you-get-up-there-tell/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [Nothing comes easy in life, but politics is incredibly difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/govinda/nothing-comes-easy-in-life-but-politics-is-incredibly-difficult/) [Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/govinda/) > [Life is politics, basically, but you don't just go to a gallery and put the words 'art' and 'politics' on the wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-tuymans/life-is-politics-basically-but-you-don-t-just-go-to-a-gallery-and-put/) [Luc Tuymans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-tuymans/) > [I think that literature is something that embraces a much larger experience than politics. It's an expression of what is life, of what are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-that-literature-is-something-that-embraces-a-much-larger/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [I make songs based around my political ideas because they're a big part of life; politics affects my life, politics affects my friends and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/i-make-songs-based-around-my-political-ideas-because-they-re-a-big/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Well there's nobody who has a more supportive husband than I do, and he has a business that he runs, and it's his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-kennedy/well-there-s-nobody-who-has-a-more-supportive-husband-than-i-do-and/) [Caroline Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-kennedy/) > [On the show, we are not trying to get people to eat their vegetables; we are not trying to get people to become Democrats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/on-the-show-we-are-not-trying-to-get-people-to-eat-their-vegetables/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [I mean, the part you don't like, I mean, that's the only part. That's the part no one likes, and that is the criticisms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/i-mean-the-part-you-don-t-like-i-mean-that-s-the-only-part-that-s-the/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [As for myself, 'total liberal outlook on life and politics' is not an accurate description.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harwood/as-for-myself-total-liberal-outlook-on-life-and-politics-is-not-an/) [John Harwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harwood/) > [We're allowed to have had a private life before politics in which we make mistakes and do things we should not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dimbleby/we-re-allowed-to-have-had-a-private-life-before-politics-in-which-we/) David Dimbleby > [“Things that are back to front are often easier to comprehend if they are upside down as well. In life as in politics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/things-that-are-back-to-front-are-often-easier-to-comprehend-if-they/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [One of the most important factors in life, politics and war, to which historians tend to devote too little attention, is sheer luck, good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rhodes-james/one-of-the-most-important-factors-in-life-politics-and-war-to-which/) Robert Rhodes James > [My books are not 'political.' I don't make political demands. They actually describe life. But when we look at human life, politics creeps in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/my-books-are-not-political-i-don-t-make-political-demands-they/) [Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-is-sometimes-said-that-because-of-our-past-we-as-a-people-expect/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## More by George Papandreou > [I will always be upfront with the Greek people, so we can solve the country's problems together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-will-always-be-upfront-with-the-greek-people-so-we-can-solve-the/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [I am proud of being a Greek of the diaspora.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-am-proud-of-being-a-greek-of-the-diaspora/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/unfortunately-corruption-is-widespread-in-government-agencies-and/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-never-thought-about-becoming-a-politician-but-during-the-military/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [I would say we are a friend in need and I am sure that the Greek people would very much welcome the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-would-say-we-are-a-friend-in-need-and-i-am-sure-that-the-greek/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [The unemployed in Greece can get a voucher and choose a training program somewhere in Europe to be retrained during this crisis and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/the-unemployed-in-greece-can-get-a-voucher-and-choose-a-training/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [If you put all the European countries together, we are the biggest economy in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/if-you-put-all-the-european-countries-together-we-are-the-biggest/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [As long as I feel I am doing what I think is right and just for my country, for the Greek people, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/as-long-as-i-feel-i-am-doing-what-i-think-is-right-and-just-for-my/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/despite-the-deep-reforms-we-are-making-traders-and-speculators-have/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [There is this concept of politics as a dirty game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/there-is-this-concept-of-politics-as-a-dirty-game/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [Markets themselves are looking for stability, and I think we have underestimated the capacity of Europe... to actually create a more stable framework for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/markets-themselves-are-looking-for-stability-and-i-think-we-have/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [This idea that you're a successful tough guy if you evade taxes and deceive the state has got to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/this-idea-that-you-re-a-successful-tough-guy-if-you-evade-taxes-and/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [We have a rise of extremism because we need to give a sense that we are targeting some of the deeper problems in Greece,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/we-have-a-rise-of-extremism-because-we-need-to-give-a-sense-that-we/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [I have been supporting the European Union, but we are still a work in progress. We have to become more of a United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-have-been-supporting-the-european-union-but-we-are-still-a-work-in/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [My hope is that we will turn Greece into maybe the most transparent country in the world with everything on the web.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/my-hope-is-that-we-will-turn-greece-into-maybe-the-most-transparent/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) [Explore all 70 George Papandreou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) ## More Barbarism quotes > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Liberty is the condition of progress. Without Liberty, there remains only barbarism. Without Liberty, there can be no civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/liberty-is-the-condition-of-progress-without-liberty-there-remains/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“Odd, don't you think? I have seen war, and invasions and riots. I have heard of massacres and brutalities beyond imagining, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/odd-don-t-you-think-i-have-seen-war-and-invasions-and-riots-i-have/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [Christianity has carried civilization along with it, whithersoever it has gone; and, as if to show that the latter does not depend on physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-william-hare/christianity-has-carried-civilization-along-with-it-whithersoever-it/) [Augustus William Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-william-hare/) > [ \[Much\] as war attracts me and fascinates my mind with its tremendous situations, I feel more deeply every year . . . what vile… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/much-as-war-attracts-me-and-fascinates-my-mind-with-its-tremendous/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations. Man's capacity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/educational-exchange-can-turn-nations-into-people-contributing-as-no/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Human history, like all great movements, was cyclical, and returned to the point of beginning. The idea of indefinite progress in a right line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bellamy/human-history-like-all-great-movements-was-cyclical-and-returned-to/) [Edward Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bellamy/) > [You think that a wall as solid as the earth separates civilization from barbarism. I tell you the division is a thread, a sheet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-buchan/you-think-that-a-wall-as-solid-as-the-earth-separates-civilization/) [John Buchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-buchan/) > [Barbarism is the absence of standards to which appeal can be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/barbarism-is-the-absence-of-standards-to-which-appeal-can-be-made/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [“The language of sword is less powerful than the language of word, but most of the people understand the language of sword with greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/the-language-of-sword-is-less-powerful-than-the-language-of-word-but/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [There is so much that must be done in a civilized barbarism like war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-earhart/there-is-so-much-that-must-be-done-in-a-civilized-barbarism-like-war/) [Amelia Earhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-earhart/) > [There is a barbarism in the American soul, and we must protect some of it by law. To root it out is to endanger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/there-is-a-barbarism-in-the-american-soul-and-we-must-protect-some-of/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [In discussing Barbarism and Christianity I have actually been discussing the Fall of Rome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/in-discussing-barbarism-and-christianity-i-have-actually-been/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [What we now want is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of egoism and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/what-we-now-want-is-closer-contact-and-better-understanding-between/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [“Magic begins in superstition, and ends in science. ... At every step the history of civilization teaches us how slight and superficial a structure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/magic-begins-in-superstition-and-ends-in-science-at-every-step-the/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) [Browse all 238 Barbarism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. 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