---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ours is the only country deliberately…"
description: "\"Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.\" — John Gunther"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d23/john-gunther-24750_country_ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-fo_32048.jpg"
---

#  Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good…

![“Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.” quote by John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d23/john-gunther-24750_country_ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-fo_32048.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d23/john-gunther-24750_country_ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-fo_32048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d23/john-gunther-24750_country_ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-fo_32048.jpg)

> “Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.”

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

It asserts that the nation’s founding principle was intentionally chosen for its merit, implying a purposeful design rather than accidental evolution.

**In simple terms:** A nation built on a deliberate, noble concept.

Key Takeaway

Purposeful design matters.

Themes

national identity founding principles intentionality idealism political philosophy

Mood

proud reflective inspirational

Type

political historical aphoristic

When to use this quote

- discussing constitutional origins
- analyzing political legitimacy
- educational curricula on civics

Key Concepts

nation building philosophical foundations historical narrative

Practical Applications

- teaching civic education
- framing political discourse

Questions to Reflect On

- What makes a founding idea truly 'good'?
- How does intentional design affect national destiny?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Deliberately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-deliberately-429737/) [Deliberately Founded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deliberately-founded-429736/) [Founded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founded/) [Founded Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founded-good-429738/) [Good idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-idea/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/)

## Related quotes

> [Now, the United Nations is an organization that I believe was founded with good intentions. As a matter of fact, a prominent Tennessean named…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-wamp/now-the-united-nations-is-an-organization-that-i-believe-was-founded/)

[Zach Wamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-wamp/)

> [Our country has deliberately undertaken a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far- reaching in purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/our-country-has-deliberately-undertaken-a-great-social-and-economic/)

[Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/)

> [I think every religion is founded with good intentions, but with any good thing, there's a negative use for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/i-think-every-religion-is-founded-with-good-intentions-but-with-any/)

[Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/)

> [The Alzheimer's Association in the United States, founded by Jerome Stone, they found me because they had heard rumours that my mom was diagnosed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-aga-khan/the-alzheimer-s-association-in-the-united-states-founded-by-jerome/)

[Yasmin Aga Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-aga-khan/)

> [After all it was my father who founded the Burmese army and I do have a sense of warmth towards the Burmese army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/after-all-it-was-my-father-who-founded-the-burmese-army-and-i-do-have/)

[Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/)

> [“This country was founded by slave owners who wanted to be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/this-country-was-founded-by-slave-owners-who-wanted-to-be-free/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [I founded the American Red Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-barton/i-founded-the-american-red-cross/)

[Clara Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-barton/)

> [I'm not founded on the notion that any press is good press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/i-m-not-founded-on-the-notion-that-any-press-is-good-press/)

[Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/)

> [Yes, the small village that we live in, in Virginia, is a very interesting place, in terms of its Civil War history, because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/yes-the-small-village-that-we-live-in-in-virginia-is-a-very/)

[Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/)

> [At a lot of companies founded on principles, the notion of making money is almost antithetical to the ethos of the place. From the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/at-a-lot-of-companies-founded-on-principles-the-notion-of-making/)

[John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/)

> [I founded Minted in 2007 with the desire to use 'crowd-sourcing' to bring designs from the best emerging and independent designers in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/i-founded-minted-in-2007-with-the-desire-to-use-crowd-sourcing-to/)

[Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/)

> [When you are an entrepreneur, you have founded your own firm, it is so easy to find that you exist - you are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/when-you-are-an-entrepreneur-you-have-founded-your-own-firm-it-is-so/)

[Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/)

> [Kerri and I met at theatre camp when were 16 years old, which is pretty lame. The rest of us met when we founded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-lennon/kerri-and-i-met-at-theatre-camp-when-were-16-years-old-which-is/)

[Thomas Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-lennon/)

> [The United States is in no way founded upon the Christian religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-united-states-is-in-no-way-founded-upon-the-christian-religion/)

[George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/)

> ['SoulPancake' is a website that I founded with a couple of friends, and it is for exploring life's big questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainn-wilson/soulpancake-is-a-website-that-i-founded-with-a-couple-of-friends-and/)

[Rainn Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainn-wilson/)

## More by John Gunther

> [New York city, the incomparable, the brilliant star city of cities, the forty-ninth state, a law unto itself, the Cyclopean Paradox, the inferno with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/new-york-city-the-incomparable-the-brilliant-star-city-of-cities-the/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [God is what's good in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/god-is-what-s-good-in-me/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [ \[Chicago\] is the greatest and most typically American of all cities. New York is bigger and more spectacular and can outmatch it in other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/chicago-is-the-greatest-and-most-typically-american-of-all-cities-new/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [What is life? It departs covertly. Like a thief Death took him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/what-is-life-it-departs-covertly-like-a-thief-death-took-him/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [The first essence of journalism is to know what you want to know, the second, is to find out who will tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/the-first-essence-of-journalism-is-to-know-what-you-want-to-know-the/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [One travels like a golf ball, hopping from green to green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/one-travels-like-a-golf-ball-hopping-from-green-to-green/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [It's the equivalent of putting on the brakes suddenly while driving uphill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/it-s-the-equivalent-of-putting-on-the-brakes-suddenly-while-driving/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [The camera is one of the greatest liars of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/the-camera-is-one-of-the-greatest-liars-of-our-time/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [The last copy of the Chicago Daily News I picked up had three crime stories on its front page. But by comparison to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/the-last-copy-of-the-chicago-daily-news-i-picked-up-had-three-crime/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [Touch water in the West and you touch everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/touch-water-in-the-west-and-you-touch-everything/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [Live while you live, then die and be done with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/live-while-you-live-then-die-and-be-done-with/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [He was trying to save both his faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/he-was-trying-to-save-both-his-faces/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [France is the most civilized country in the world and doesn’t care who knows it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/france-is-the-most-civilized-country-in-the-world-and-doesn-t-care/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [Old and new kiss everywhere in Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/old-and-new-kiss-everywhere-in-africa/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

> [Count Hermann Keyserling once said truly that the greatest American superstition was the belief in facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/count-hermann-keyserling-once-said-truly-that-the-greatest-american/)

[John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

[Explore all 24 John Gunther quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/)

## More Country quotes

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [ 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/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/)

[Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/)

> [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/)

[Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

[Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Gunther"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-founded-on-a-good-idea/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-founded-on-a-good-idea/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d23/john-gunther-24750_country_ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-fo_32048.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d23/john-gunther-24750_country_ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-fo_32048.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d23/john-gunther-24750_country_ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-fo_32048.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.” — John Gunther",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Gunther",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Ours is the only country deliberately...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-founded-on-a-good-idea/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-founded-on-a-good-idea/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
