--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is said that the British Empire is…" description: "\"It is said that the British Empire is very large and respectable, and that the United States are a first-rate power. We do not believe that a tide rise..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_it-is-said-that-the-british-empire-is-ve_2086236.jpg" --- # It is said that the British Empire is very large and… ![“It is said that the British Empire is very large and respectable, and that the United States are a first-rate power. We do not believe that a tide rises and falls behind every man which can float the British Empire like a chip, if he should ever harbor it in his mind.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_it-is-said-that-the-british-empire-is-ve_2086236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_it-is-said-that-the-british-empire-is-ve_2086236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bc1/henry-david-thoreau-20_behinds_it-is-said-that-the-british-empire-is-ve_2086236.jpg) > “It is said that the British Empire is very large and respectable, and that the United States are a first-rate power. We do not believe that a tide rises and falls behind every man which can float the British Empire like a chip, if he should ever harbor it in his mind.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques imperial pride, emphasizing individual agency over collective power. **In simple terms:** Individual thought can challenge empires. Key Takeaway Question authority and think independently. Themes philosophy politics individualism Mood thoughtful provocative Type philosophical political When to use this quote - social movements - personal activism - educational curricula Key Concepts civil disobedience critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does personal belief influence societal change? - What limits exist for individual impact? A Different Perspective Mass movements still shape history. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behind Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behind-every/) [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british/) [British empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-empire/) [Chips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chips/) [Empire Large](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire-large-4100761/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Every man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-man/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Floats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/floats/) [Harbors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harbors/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Large Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-respectable-4100762/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power of the mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-the-mind/) [Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rate/) [Respectable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respectable/) [Rise and fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise-and-fall/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said British](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-british-2770056/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Tides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tides/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [“Who said the British empire was gone?! 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Let us realise we are all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-us-realise-that-we-are-the-infinite-power-who-put-a-limit-to-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Those who have succeeded in attaching or detaching their minds at will have succeeded in Pratyahara, which means gathering towards, checking the outgoing powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/those-who-have-succeeded-in-attaching-or-detaching-their-minds-at/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Power of mind is infinite while brawn is limited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koichi-tohei/power-of-mind-is-infinite-while-brawn-is-limited/) [Koichi Tohei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koichi-tohei/) > [Intelligence entails a strong mind, but genius entails a heart of a lion in tune with a strong mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/intelligence-entails-a-strong-mind-but-genius-entails-a-heart-of-a/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“He was no fool; he knew that love existed. 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Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. 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If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. 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