---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Traditionally, nations have harnessed…"
description: "\"Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to their territory by making almost all social guarantees dependent on working in one country, every da..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-tax_2545978.jpg"
---

#  Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to their…

![“Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to their territory by making almost all social guarantees dependent on working in one country, every day, every month, and for at least three decades. In creating free movement of people, this web has only got more complex but never disappeared.” quote by Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-tax_2545978.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-tax_2545978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-tax_2545978.jpg)

> “Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to their territory by making almost all social guarantees dependent on working in one country, every day, every month, and for at least three decades. In creating free movement of people, this web has only got more complex but never disappeared.”

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

## About This Quote

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

She notes that social benefits tied to long-term domestic work create complex barriers, even as labor mobility increases.

**In simple terms:** Social guarantees tied to long-term work complicate free movement.

Key Takeaway

Reform social policies for mobile workers.

Themes

economics labor migration social policy

Mood

analytical concerned

Type

policy economic

When to use this quote

- employment contracts
- cross‑border commuting
- policy advocacy

Key Concepts

social contract mobility constraints

Questions to Reflect On

- What reforms could balance security and mobility?
- How do long‑term ties affect migrant integration?

A Different Perspective

Changing entrenched systems is politically difficult.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [The main problem of America is that you're seeing people working all over this country two jobs, they're working three jobs, and they're getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-main-problem-of-america-is-that-you-re-seeing-people-working-all/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [I'm trying to elevate what's working across the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/i-m-trying-to-elevate-what-s-working-across-the-country/)

[Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/)

> [May the work for the further development of chemical science, which has its strongest roots in this beautiful, strong and hard-working country of Sweden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-wallach/may-the-work-for-the-further-development-of-chemical-science-which/)

[Otto Wallach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-wallach/)

> [I do think that when you're specifically working in a country like South Africa, you have to be able to be aware of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-do-think-that-when-you-re-specifically-working-in-a-country-like/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [Should people working in our country speak English? Yes, they should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/should-people-working-in-our-country-speak-english-yes-they-should/)

[Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/)

> [The European Commission says that people who are working the country can play in the national team. Perhaps Didier Drogba can play for England…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-patini/the-european-commission-says-that-people-who-are-working-the-country/)

[Michel Patini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-patini/)

> [Well, yeah, people are working in our country. You know what? They're working two and three jobs, and in our America, people should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/well-yeah-people-are-working-in-our-country-you-know-what-they-re/)

[Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/)

> [Working in any country where you want to talk about the kind of issues that other people don't want to talk about is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/working-in-any-country-where-you-want-to-talk-about-the-kind-of/)

[Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/)

> [You get to learn so much while working in another country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/you-get-to-learn-so-much-while-working-in-another-country/)

[Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/)

> [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [I free slaves because I believe we are all created equal. I just can't think of anything that has a higher purpose than putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-williams/i-free-slaves-because-i-believe-we-are-all-created-equal-i-just-can-t/)

[Virginia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-williams/)

> [If you love anything set it free unless it is a tiger..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshitij-roshan/if-you-love-anything-set-it-free-unless-it-is-a-tiger/)

[Kshitij Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshitij-roshan/)

> [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/)

## More by Kersti Kaljulaid

> [Digital society is born when your people refuse to use paper. And in our country, we know that our people refuse to use paper.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/digital-society-is-born-when-your-people-refuse-to-use-paper-and-in/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [My mother was a doctor, and I grew up with her in a little apartment belonging to my grandmother, because the Soviet Union never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/my-mother-was-a-doctor-and-i-grew-up-with-her-in-a-little-apartment/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [We have every reason to put our trust in NATO and in transatlantic cooperation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/we-have-every-reason-to-put-our-trust-in-nato-and-in-transatlantic/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [Not everything is so bad... Whichever way you look at it, we feel that we can face the future when the liberal, democracy-based world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/not-everything-is-so-bad-whichever-way-you-look-at-it-we-feel-that-we/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [Too many people in the world associate democracy with their ability to go and buy more and more every year. I come from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/too-many-people-in-the-world-associate-democracy-with-their-ability/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [As the president of Estonia, I represent the only truly digital society which actually has a state; almost all our citizens' interactions with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/as-the-president-of-estonia-i-represent-the-only-truly-digital/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [I don't want to sound like I'm a special type of Russia hater. There are very few heads of state in Europe that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/i-don-t-want-to-sound-like-i-m-a-special-type-of-russia-hater-there/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [I don't believe Russia would attack a NATO country or NATO as such, no matter which country we are talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/i-don-t-believe-russia-would-attack-a-nato-country-or-nato-as-such-no/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [I don't know of any problems countries in Europe are facing - environment, infrastructure, markets, market development, the fifth freedom being digital freedom, border…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/i-don-t-know-of-any-problems-countries-in-europe-are-facing/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [The E.U. is very popular in Estonia, and for very good reasons - not because Estonia has received considerable support from the E.U., but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/the-e-u-is-very-popular-in-estonia-and-for-very-good-reasons-not/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [Estonia maintains a two-language school system. I don't know many countries in the world that provide a system like ours. We are making sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/estonia-maintains-a-two-language-school-system-i-don-t-know-many/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [The problem is if Russia is organising exercises - and not being transparent about what exactly these exercises are about - it creates suspicions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/the-problem-is-if-russia-is-organising-exercises-and-not-being/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [People everywhere in the world have Russian connections. There is nothing wrong with having Russian connections as long as you're transparent about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/people-everywhere-in-the-world-have-russian-connections-there-is/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [We are past the stage in our relations that you come to Washington with an empty goody bag and then you go back with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/we-are-past-the-stage-in-our-relations-that-you-come-to-washington/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

> [Our people are willing to work with the government on new technologies. Now, it's a habit; every Estonian looks at it as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/our-people-are-willing-to-work-with-the-government-on-new/)

[Kersti Kaljulaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

[Explore all 43 Kersti Kaljulaid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/)

## 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": "Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to their territory by making almost all social guarantees dependent on working in one country, every day, every month, and for at least three decades. In creating free movement of people, this web has only got more complex but never disappeared.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Kersti Kaljulaid"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-taxpayers-to-their-territory-by/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-taxpayers-to-their-territory-by/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-tax_2545978.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-tax_2545978.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f91/kersti-kaljulaid-15206_country_traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-tax_2545978.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to their territory by making almost all social guarantees…” — Kersti Kaljulaid",
                "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": "Kersti Kaljulaid",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kersti-kaljulaid/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Traditionally, nations have harnessed taxpayers to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-taxpayers-to-their-territory-by/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kersti-kaljulaid/traditionally-nations-have-harnessed-taxpayers-to-their-territory-by/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
