--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Change might be the most powerful word in…" description: "\"“Change might be the most powerful word in American politics. It’s also one of the hardest to define. In 1992 and 2008, change meant electing dynamic y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_american-politics_change-might-be-the-most-powerful-word-i_2639459.jpg" --- # Change might be the most powerful word in American… ![“Change might be the most powerful word in American politics. It’s also one of the hardest to define. In 1992 and 2008, change meant electing dynamic young leaders who promised hope and renewal. In 2016, it meant handing a lit match to a pyromaniac.” quote by Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_american-politics_change-might-be-the-most-powerful-word-i_2639459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_american-politics_change-might-be-the-most-powerful-word-i_2639459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/882/hillary-rodham-clinton-890_american-politics_change-might-be-the-most-powerful-word-i_2639459.jpg) > ““Change might be the most powerful word in American politics. It’s also one of the hardest to define. In 1992 and 2008, change meant electing dynamic young leaders who promised hope and renewal. In 2016, it meant handing a lit match to a pyromaniac.”” [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques how the concept of “change” is used politically, noting its shifting meaning and the danger of entrusting transformative power to unsuitable leaders. **In simple terms:** Political “change” can be vague and misused. Key Takeaway Scrutinize who truly drives meaningful change. Themes politics language leadership Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - elections - campaigns - policy debates - activism - media analysis Key Concepts political theory media studies public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can we define constructive change? - What criteria should we use to assess leaders? A Different Perspective The statement may generalize all political change as negative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-politics/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Young leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-leaders/) ## Related quotes > [“Do you think people change? I meant ourselves — do we change?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/do-you-think-people-change-i-meant-ourselves-do-we-change/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Change - even change meant to improve our lives - creates stress. We can get comfortable with our problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-allen/change-even-change-meant-to-improve-our-lives-creates-stress-we-can/) [David Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-allen/) > [“Every man engaged in war tells himself he can alter what has been written, that it is he, not God, who is the maker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/every-man-engaged-in-war-tells-himself-he-can-alter-what-has-been/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I used to find my self trying to change you, but if you were meant to be my lover I wouldn't have to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-find-my-self-trying-to-change-you-but-if-you-were-meant-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Ask, 'What's the meaning in this crisis? What's it trying to teach?' . . . Hard times can be gifts. They can force us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-von-kreisler/ask-what-s-the-meaning-in-this-crisis-what-s-it-trying-to-teach-hard/) Kristin von Kreisler > [The most meaningful engine of change, powerful enough to confront corporate power, may be not so much environmental quality, as the economic development and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-commoner/the-most-meaningful-engine-of-change-powerful-enough-to-confront/) [Barry Commoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-commoner/) > [“Change is powerful, but change always comes with the possibility of failure as its partner. “This might not work” isn’t merely something to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/change-is-powerful-but-change-always-comes-with-the-possibility-of/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“We must all obey the great law of change. It is the most powerful law of nature, and the means perhaps of its conservation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/we-must-all-obey-the-great-law-of-change-it-is-the-most-powerful-law-2/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-d-perry/relationships-are-the-agents-of-change-and-the-most-powerful-therapy/) [Bruce D. Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-d-perry/) > [Change is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast. In the pool where you least expect it, will be a fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/change-is-always-powerful-let-your-hook-be-always-cast-in-the-pool/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [We must all obey the great law of change. It is the most powerful law of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/we-must-all-obey-the-great-law-of-change-it-is-the-most-powerful-law/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Fear is an exciting time. It's our soul telling us that we need to change. Change is powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-maclaren/fear-is-an-exciting-time-it-s-our-soul-telling-us-that-we-need-to/) Jim MacLaren > [“One of the most important but least recognized facts in American politics is that Republicans tend to win in places where more people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/one-of-the-most-important-but-least-recognized-facts-in-american/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Josiah became King of Judah at the age of eight. Joan of Arc led the French Army at nineteen. King Tut led all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-gober/josiah-became-king-of-judah-at-the-age-of-eight-joan-of-arc-led-the/) [Rebecca Gober](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-gober/) > [“All to often, on the long road up, young leaders become servants of what is rather than shapers of what might be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/all-to-often-on-the-long-road-up-young-leaders-become-servants-of/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) ## More by Hillary Rodham Clinton > [“Putin has positioned himself as the leader of an authoritarian, xenophobic international movement that wants to expel immigrants, break up the European Union, weaken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/putin-has-positioned-himself-as-the-leader-of-an-authoritarian/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“It’s true, though, that we struggled to stay on message. My advisors had to deal with a candidate—me—who often wanted something new to say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/it-s-true-though-that-we-struggled-to-stay-on-message-my-advisors-had/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“He reminded me to focus on the “trendlines,” not just the headlines, and to relish the experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/he-reminded-me-to-focus-on-the-trendlines-not-just-the-headlines-and/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Democrats should reevaluate a lot of our assumptions about which policies are politically viable. These trends make universal programs even more appealing than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/democrats-should-reevaluate-a-lot-of-our-assumptions-about-which/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“You Can't Keep Wild Animal In Your Back Yard And Expect It To Go only After Your Neighbor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/you-can-t-keep-wild-animal-in-your-back-yard-and-expect-it-to-go-only/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“In people’s lives and worldviews, concerns about economics, race, gender, class, and culture all blend together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/in-people-s-lives-and-worldviews-concerns-about-economics-race-gender/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“if you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/if-you-want-to-go-quickly-go-alone-if-you-want-to-go-far-go-together/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“On her very first day, when she politely raised questions about Bernie’s health care plan—she has a master’s degree in public health and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/on-her-very-first-day-when-she-politely-raised-questions-about-bernie/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Too many saw the world in zero-sum terms, believing that gains made by fellow Americans they viewed as “other”—people of color, immigrants, women, LGBT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/too-many-saw-the-world-in-zero-sum-terms-believing-that-gains-made-by/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“Usually when I meet people who are frustrated and angry, my instinctive response is to talk about how we can fix things. That’s why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/usually-when-i-meet-people-who-are-frustrated-and-angry-my/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“In the words of Secretary Clinton, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/in-the-words-of-secretary-clinton-never-doubt-that-you-are-valuable/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“To quote Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in the U.S. Cabinet, under FDR, “The accusation that I’m a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/to-quote-secretary-of-labor-frances-perkins-the-first-woman-to-serve/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“While there are few problems in today’s world that the United States can solve alone, there are even fewer that can be solved without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/while-there-are-few-problems-in-today-s-world-that-the-united-states/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“if he knows that the Donald J. Trump Foundation is little more than a personal piggy bank, he’ll turn around and accuse, with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/if-he-knows-that-the-donald-j-trump-foundation-is-little-more-than-a/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [“One of the most important but least recognized facts in American politics is that Republicans tend to win in places where more people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/one-of-the-most-important-but-least-recognized-facts-in-american/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) [Explore all 336 Hillary Rodham Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) ## More American politics quotes > [Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has taken American politics by storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/republican-presidential-candidate-donald-trump-has-taken-american/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [Here's the point - and Jonah Goldberg reminds us of this. He wrote a blog post that was titled "The MacGuffinization of American Politics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-the-point-and-jonah-goldberg-reminds-us-of-this-he-wrote-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Hart is still like that little tub of vaguely milklike gunk that comes with airline coffee. It is labeled a "nondairy" product. Fine: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/hart-is-still-like-that-little-tub-of-vaguely-milklike-gunk-that/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [Would anyone else like to say anything nice about women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/would-anyone-else-like-to-say-anything-nice-about-women/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [We are creating a political demolition derby, not a presidential debate. Those strange impulses in the American soul that have produced mud wrestling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-sidey/we-are-creating-a-political-demolition-derby-not-a-presidential/) [Hugh Sidey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-sidey/) > [For even the most seasoned observers of American politics, Barack Obama is a phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lammy/for-even-the-most-seasoned-observers-of-american-politics-barack/) [David Lammy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lammy/) > [“The CIA is behind it all. That’s the conclusion of Mae Brussell—one of America’s foremost assassination experts—a researcher who has collected every pertinent newspaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/the-cia-is-behind-it-all-that-s-the-conclusion-of-mae-brussell-one-of/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) > [We picked their cotton. We cooked their food. We nursed their babies. Now we can run their cities. We can run their states. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-picked-their-cotton-we-cooked-their-food-we-nursed-their-babies/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [You know, compromise can't be a dirty word in American politics. There's plenty to argue about. Trump administration is still talking about ridiculous tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/you-know-compromise-can-t-be-a-dirty-word-in-american-politics-there/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [In his study of Atlanta over the last 60 years, Kevin Kruse convincingly describes the critical connections between race, Sun Belt suburbanization, the rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-carter/in-his-study-of-atlanta-over-the-last-60-years-kevin-kruse/) Dan Carter > [Affirming belief that America is an exceptional nation has become a test of patriotism in American politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/affirming-belief-that-america-is-an-exceptional-nation-has-become-a/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [ \[Ronald\] Reagan had an agenda, three agenda items. George W. Bush had some. But \[Donald\] Trump, because people weren't listening, Trump has the longest… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/ronald-reagan-had-an-agenda-three-agenda-items-george-w-bush-had-some/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The good news is that the president gets another chance. The bad news is that he'll be two weeks older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/the-good-news-is-that-the-president-gets-another-chance-the-bad-news/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [You can never underestimate the ability of the Democrats to wet their finger and hold it in the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-can-never-underestimate-the-ability-of-the-democrats-to-wet-their/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 412 American politics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-politics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Change might be the most powerful word in American politics. It’s also one of the hardest to define. In 1992 and 2008, change meant electing dynamic young leaders who promised hope and renewal. 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