--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Universal literacy was a 20th-century…" description: "\"Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/hugh-mackay-16277_20th-century_universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-go_42941.png" --- # Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. Before then… ![“Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professional people.” quote by Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/hugh-mackay-16277_20th-century_universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-go_42941.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/hugh-mackay-16277_20th-century_universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-go_42941.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c4/hugh-mackay-16277_20th-century_universal-literacy-was-a-20th-century-go_42941.png) > “Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. Before then, reading and writing were skills largely confined to a small, highly educated class of professional people.” [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) ## 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 highlights that widespread reading and writing skills are a relatively recent achievement, once limited to an elite educated minority. **In simple terms:** Mass literacy is a modern development. Key Takeaway Literacy expanded beyond elites in the 20th century. Themes education social equity historical change knowledge diffusion Mood optimistic reflective Type historical observation sociocultural commentary When to use this quote - public schooling reforms - mass media expansion - digital communication adoption Key Concepts literacy class structure Practical Applications - policy design for universal education - campaigns promoting adult literacy Questions to Reflect On - How did technological advances accelerate literacy? - What barriers still limit literacy today? A Different Perspective null ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [20th century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20th-century/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Confined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confined/) [Educated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educated/) [Educated Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educated-class-593889/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Literacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literacy/) [Literacy 20Th](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literacy-20th-639443/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading and writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-and-writing/) [Skills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skills/) [Universal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal/) [Universal Literacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universal-literacy-569463/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The question is, will we continue to fight what may be a rearguard action to defend universal literacy as a central goal of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/the-question-is-will-we-continue-to-fight-what-may-be-a-rearguard/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Once he could read and write he would have a mind fit to rule. So ran the democratic doctrine. But instead of a mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bernays/once-he-could-read-and-write-he-would-have-a-mind-fit-to-rule-so-ran/) [Edward Bernays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bernays/) > [It is my vision that we all will dedicate the next decade to achieve universal literacy and education for all children, especially for girls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/it-is-my-vision-that-we-all-will-dedicate-the-next-decade-to-achieve/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [The ideal of universal literacy, in the West anyway, was first of all a Protestant idea - that everybody had to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/the-ideal-of-universal-literacy-in-the-west-anyway-was-first-of-all-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [Reading and writing, like everything else, improve with practice. And, of course, if there are no young readers and writers, there will shortly be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/reading-and-writing-like-everything-else-improve-with-practice-and-of/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Computer literacy is a contact with the activity of computing deep enough to make the computational equivalent of reading and writing fluent and enjoyable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/computer-literacy-is-a-contact-with-the-activity-of-computing-deep/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [“There is massive evidence that self-selected reading, or reading what you want to read, is responsible for most of our literacy development. Readers have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krashen-stephen-d/there-is-massive-evidence-that-self-selected-reading-or-reading-what/) [Krashen Stephen D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krashen-stephen-d/) > [Reading and writing don't inevitably go together. You can read without learning a thing about writing, grammar, or spelling, although, you certainly can't learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-smith/reading-and-writing-don-t-inevitably-go-together-you-can-read-without/) [Frank Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-smith/) > [Louis Braille created the code of raised dots for reading and writing that bears his name and brings literacy, independence, and productivity to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-ney/louis-braille-created-the-code-of-raised-dots-for-reading-and-writing/) [Bob Ney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-ney/) > [There is more to literacy than 'reading' and 'writing'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/strive-masiyiwa/there-is-more-to-literacy-than-reading-and-writing/) [Strive Masiyiwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/strive-masiyiwa/) > [You must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/you-must-find-time-for-reading-or-surrender-yourself-to-self-chosen/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“If our schools continue to limit the literacy curriculum to reading and writing traditional, alphabetic, printed texts, then our children will be well prepared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-a-baker/if-our-schools-continue-to-limit-the-literacy-curriculum-to-reading/) [Elizabeth A. Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-a-baker/) > [There is no connection between the political ideas of our educated class and the deep places of the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-trilling/there-is-no-connection-between-the-political-ideas-of-our-educated/) [Lionel Trilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-trilling/) > [“In the educated class even social life is a series of aptitude tests; we all must perpetually perform in accordance with the shifting norms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/in-the-educated-class-even-social-life-is-a-series-of-aptitude-tests/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [The only chance for much intellectual improvement in the female sex, was to be found in the families of the educated class and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/the-only-chance-for-much-intellectual-improvement-in-the-female-sex/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) ## More by Hugh Mackay > [“Only those who have been on the receiving end of poverty, unemployment, homelessess, mental illness, domestic violence, racism, sexism or ageism can fully identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/only-those-who-have-been-on-the-receiving-end-of-poverty-unemployment/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Actually, I can't imagine anything more tedious than a perfect person, especially if it was someone who also demanded perfection from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/actually-i-can-t-imagine-anything-more-tedious-than-a-perfect-person/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Obviously, every child should be given the best possible opportunity to acquire literacy skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/obviously-every-child-should-be-given-the-best-possible-opportunity/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [“I actually attack the concept of happiness. The idea that—I don't mind people being happy—but the idea that everything we do is part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/i-actually-attack-the-concept-of-happiness-the-idea-that-i-don-t-mind/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Some researchers sensibly suggest that rather than worrying too much about which programs our children are watching, we should concentrate on trying to reduce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/some-researchers-sensibly-suggest-that-rather-than-worrying-too-much/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [If I were asked about what to do about the level of insecurity and anxiety in contemporary Australian society, I wouldn't start with politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/if-i-were-asked-about-what-to-do-about-the-level-of-insecurity-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [One of the most important responsibilities of leaders in any setting - including business organisations - is to tell us our own story; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/one-of-the-most-important-responsibilities-of-leaders-in-any-setting/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Recounting their histories, people often sound like interested bystanders to their own lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/recounting-their-histories-people-often-sound-like-interested/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [With increasing frequency and growing vehemence, you hear people saying they are ashamed to be Australians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/with-increasing-frequency-and-growing-vehemence-you-hear-people/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [I wish we didn't have to own up to a policy deliberately designed to inflict suffering on people who have already been traumatised in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/i-wish-we-didn-t-have-to-own-up-to-a-policy-deliberately-designed-to/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [It is the misfortune of contemporary leaders, across the whole spectrum of Australian life, that the community's demand for strong leadership is growing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/it-is-the-misfortune-of-contemporary-leaders-across-the-whole/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [“You have five hundred Facebook 'friends'? That simply means you've redefined 'friend' to make it something like 'a contact I exchange data with'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/you-have-five-hundred-facebook-friends-that-simply-means-you-ve/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [It seems inevitable that the magic of the written word will fade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/it-seems-inevitable-that-the-magic-of-the-written-word-will-fade/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Still, most of those effects occur in the context of harmless play and it is patently obvious that children are not normally turned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/still-most-of-those-effects-occur-in-the-context-of-harmless-play-and/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) > [Is it possible that literacy standards are falling because young Australians are growing up in a culture in which they can be entertained and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-mackay/is-it-possible-that-literacy-standards-are-falling-because-young/) [Hugh Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) [Explore all 40 Hugh Mackay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-mackay/) ## More 20th century quotes > [I think the inhabitants of the past are fighting hard to keep the rents they acquired in the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bennet/i-think-the-inhabitants-of-the-past-are-fighting-hard-to-keep-the/) [Michael Bennet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bennet/) > [Corporate America is a 20th-century dinosaur, trembling on the edge of extinction, and the only way for you to have a genuinely secure future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/corporate-america-is-a-20th-century-dinosaur-trembling-on-the-edge-of/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [America thrived in the 20th century because we made high school free. We sent a generation to college. We cultivated the most educated workforce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-thrived-in-the-20th-century-because-we-made-high-school-free/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I've studied the lives of the 20th century's great businessmen and concluded self-confidence was instrumental in all their success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-spanos/i-ve-studied-the-lives-of-the-20th-century-s-great-businessmen-and/) [Alex Spanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-spanos/) > [The great wars of the 20th Century made it into the worst Century ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ambrose/the-great-wars-of-the-20th-century-made-it-into-the-worst-century-ever/) [Stephen Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-ambrose/) > [That is very different from how it used to be in the 20th century. Media was very one way. There's a small little industry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/that-is-very-different-from-how-it-used-to-be-in-the-20th-century/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [If you look back on the history of the 20th century, the 19th century or even to the ancien régime of the 18th, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/if-you-look-back-on-the-history-of-the-20th-century-the-19th-century/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [Up to the 20th century, we can say that this whole period was an Earth epoch, 'Earth' meaning the riches of the earth, simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lech-walesa/up-to-the-20th-century-we-can-say-that-this-whole-period-was-an-earth/) [Lech Walesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lech-walesa/) > [I think this century more than any other really has seen the phenomenon of people being uprooted in such numbers, such a degree. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-think-this-century-more-than-any-other-really-has-seen-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [If you look at that incredible burst of fantastic characters that emerged in the late 19th century/early 20th century, you can see so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/if-you-look-at-that-incredible-burst-of-fantastic-characters-that/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Cruel and paradoxical though it undoubtedly is, the record shows that yje most succesful 20th century monarchs have been those who were not actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cannadine/cruel-and-paradoxical-though-it-undoubtedly-is-the-record-shows-that/) [David Cannadine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cannadine/) > [An interesting thing about New Zealand, you know, literature is that it really didn't begin in any real sense until the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/an-interesting-thing-about-new-zealand-you-know-literature-is-that-it/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [The Warmth of Other Suns is a sweeping and yet deeply personal tale of America's hidden 20th century history - the long and difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/the-warmth-of-other-suns-is-a-sweeping-and-yet-deeply-personal-tale/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [There were certain expectations that were assumed of me as a young black American 20th-century - then 20th-century artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/there-were-certain-expectations-that-were-assumed-of-me-as-a-young/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Browse all 672 20th century quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20th-century/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Universal literacy was a 20th-century goal. 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