--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can hardly expect the nation-state to…" description: "\"We can hardly expect the nation-state to make itself superfluous, at least not overnight. Rather what we must aim for is really nothing more than caret..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/henry-morgenthau-jr-56524_aim_we-can-hardly-expect-the-nation-state-to_240495.jpg" --- # We can hardly expect the nation-state to make itself… ![“We can hardly expect the nation-state to make itself superfluous, at least not overnight. Rather what we must aim for is really nothing more than caretakers of a bankrupt international machine which will have to be transformed slowly into a new one. The transition will not be dramatic, but a…” quote by Henry Morgenthau, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/henry-morgenthau-jr-56524_aim_we-can-hardly-expect-the-nation-state-to_240495.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/henry-morgenthau-jr-56524_aim_we-can-hardly-expect-the-nation-state-to_240495.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/henry-morgenthau-jr-56524_aim_we-can-hardly-expect-the-nation-state-to_240495.jpg) > “We can hardly expect the nation-state to make itself superfluous, at least not overnight. Rather what we must aim for is really nothing more than caretakers of a bankrupt international machine which will have to be transformed slowly into a new one. The transition will not be dramatic, but a gradual one. People will still cling to national symbols.” [Henry Morgenthau, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-morgenthau-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nation‑states will remain necessary but must evolve into stewards of a reformed global system, transitioning gradually. **In simple terms:** Countries must adapt to a shared, reformed world. Key Takeaway Support international cooperation while preserving national identity. Themes globalization politics transition national identity economic reform Mood analytical forward‑looking Type historical strategic When to use this quote - policy making - academic analysis - public discourse Key Concepts international relations institutional change gradual reform Questions to Reflect On - How can nations balance sovereignty with global responsibility? - What steps ensure a smooth transition? A Different Perspective Change is slow and may face resistance from entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caretakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caretakers/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatic/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Nationalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nationalism/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Symbols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symbols/) [Transition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transition/) ## Related quotes > [Such displays of the Australian spirit engender pride, regardless of background, religion and political persuasion. They are unifying... 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And when we're done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-hannigan/we-don-t-own-the-earth-we-are-the-earth-s-caretakers-we-take-care-of/) [Katherine Hannigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-hannigan/) > [One of the things that's troubling is that people see Natalie Portman or some other Hollywood starlet who boasts of, hey look, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-holmes/one-of-the-things-that-s-troubling-is-that-people-see-natalie-portman/) [Anna Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-holmes/) > [ When you see those in healthcare who don't get this burn-out, they are very motherly, fatherly, or loving and attentive with the patients. \[These\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/when-you-see-those-in-healthcare-who-don-t-get-this-burn-out-they-are/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [There was a time when only men could provide or work, and still a lot of countries are like that. But there's a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/there-was-a-time-when-only-men-could-provide-or-work-and-still-a-lot/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) ## More by Henry Morgenthau, Jr > [ We \[Federal Government\] have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-morgenthau-jr/we-federal-government-have-tried-spending-money-we-are-spending-more/) [Henry Morgenthau, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-morgenthau-jr/) > [I say after eight years of this Administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started. … And an enormous debt to boot!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-morgenthau-jr/i-say-after-eight-years-of-this-administration-we-have-just-as-much/) [Henry Morgenthau, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-morgenthau-jr/) > [I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job. I want to see people get enough to eat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-morgenthau-jr/i-want-to-see-this-country-prosperous-i-want-to-see-people-get-a-job/) [Henry Morgenthau, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-morgenthau-jr/) > [Never in the history of the world has there been a situation so bad that the government can't make it worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-morgenthau-jr/never-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-there-been-a-situation-so-bad/) [Henry Morgenthau, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-morgenthau-jr/) > [We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work. 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It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can hardly expect the nation-state to make itself superfluous, at least not overnight. Rather what we must aim for is really nothing more than caretakers of a bankrupt international machine which will have to be transformed slowly into a new one. 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