--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A long time ago I learned not to put the…" description: "\"A long time ago I learned not to put the blame for backwardness in Brazil on the US. We have to blame ourselves. Our backwardness is caused by an elite..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_blame_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-not-to-put-the_958563.jpg" --- # A long time ago I learned not to put the blame for… ![“A long time ago I learned not to put the blame for backwardness in Brazil on the US. We have to blame ourselves. Our backwardness is caused by an elite which for a century didn't think about the majority and subordinated itself to foreign interests.” quote by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_blame_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-not-to-put-the_958563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_blame_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-not-to-put-the_958563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_blame_a-long-time-ago-i-learned-not-to-put-the_958563.jpg) > “A long time ago I learned not to put the blame for backwardness in Brazil on the US. We have to blame ourselves. Our backwardness is caused by an elite which for a century didn't think about the majority and subordinated itself to foreign interests.” [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that Brazil's underdevelopment stems from elite neglect of the majority and foreign subordination, not external forces. **In simple terms:** Brazil's problems are self‑caused by elite neglect. Key Takeaway Focus on internal reforms and inclusive policies. Themes politics history social justice Mood critical determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - policy reform - grassroots activism - education - economic planning Key Concepts development economics colonialism elite theory Questions to Reflect On - What steps can empower the majority? - How can foreign influence be balanced? A Different Perspective Change may be resisted by entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backwardness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwardness/) [Brazil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazil/) [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“The equating of primitive culture with backwardness has been so ingrained in the popular mind that even so-called civilized Indians on the lowest, most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wallace/the-equating-of-primitive-culture-with-backwardness-has-been-so/) [Scott Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wallace/) > [“The transmogrification of Islam into Islamism is bad news not only for the West but also for the majority of Muslims who have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-reilly/the-transmogrification-of-islam-into-islamism-is-bad-news-not-only/) [Robert R. 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You don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/there-s-the-big-advantage-of-backwardness-by-the-time-the-latest/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“The currents of modern civilization had somehow passed it by, and as he returned to it now, fresh from the sides of England and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-figes/the-currents-of-modern-civilization-had-somehow-passed-it-by-and-as/) [Orlando Figes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-figes/) > [Any revolution which denies the right to criticize is bound to wallow in stagnation and backwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-antonio-cuadra/any-revolution-which-denies-the-right-to-criticize-is-bound-to-wallow/) Pablo Antonio Cuadra > [The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-totalitarian-world-produces-backwardness-because-it-does-such/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The backwardness of our religious and social developments is undoubtedly holding back the development of the intellectual and political levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-quigley/the-backwardness-of-our-religious-and-social-developments-is/) [Carroll Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-quigley/) > [What most surprises me about Brazil is the extent of the difficulties that we create for ourselves. We create a lot of legislation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/what-most-surprises-me-about-brazil-is-the-extent-of-the-difficulties/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil is a country that has rich people, as you have in New York City, as you have in Berlin or in London. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-is-a-country-that-has-rich-people-as-you-have-in-new-york-city/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil is in a solid position. In the past, if the United States sneezed, we caught pneumonia. Today, if the United States sneezes, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-is-in-a-solid-position-in-the-past-if-the-united-states/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil has rediscovered itself, and this rediscovery is being expressed in its people's enthusiasm and their desire to mobilize to face the huge problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-has-rediscovered-itself-and-this-rediscovery-is-being/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil does not want to become an exporter of crude oil. No. We want to be a country that exports oil byproducts - more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-does-not-want-to-become-an-exporter-of-crude-oil-no-we-want-to/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) ## More by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva > [Hunger is actually the worst weapon of mass destruction. It claims millions of victims each year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/hunger-is-actually-the-worst-weapon-of-mass-destruction-it-claims/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [My greatest desire is that the hope that has overcome fear in my country will help vanquish it around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/my-greatest-desire-is-that-the-hope-that-has-overcome-fear-in-my/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil does not want to become an exporter of crude oil. 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Let's hope he doesn't change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/without-messi-there-isn-t-a-team-for-argentina-messi-is-brilliant/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Only in my case, when my presidency ends, I will go back to my home industrial city town, 800 meters from my local trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/only-in-my-case-when-my-presidency-ends-i-will-go-back-to-my-home/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [This is the first global crisis that doesn't start in poor countries and it was caused by the rich countries. So it's necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/this-is-the-first-global-crisis-that-doesn-t-start-in-poor-countries/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [You're going to be hearing a lot about one scrappy president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/you-re-going-to-be-hearing-a-lot-about-one-scrappy-president/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil has rediscovered itself, and this rediscovery is being expressed in its people's enthusiasm and their desire to mobilize to face the huge problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-has-rediscovered-itself-and-this-rediscovery-is-being/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [I believe that it is very difficult in the world of today to continue with G-8 only without taking in account the importance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/i-believe-that-it-is-very-difficult-in-the-world-of-today-to-continue/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [I have known Evo Morales for many years, since the days of the union movement. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-is-a-country-that-has-rich-people-as-you-have-in-new-york-city/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) [Explore all 59 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) ## More Backwardness quotes > [The backwardness of our religious and social developments is undoubtedly holding back the development of the intellectual and political levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-quigley/the-backwardness-of-our-religious-and-social-developments-is/) [Carroll Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-quigley/) > [The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-totalitarian-world-produces-backwardness-because-it-does-such/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Any revolution which denies the right to criticize is bound to wallow in stagnation and backwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-antonio-cuadra/any-revolution-which-denies-the-right-to-criticize-is-bound-to-wallow/) Pablo Antonio Cuadra > [“The currents of modern civilization had somehow passed it by, and as he returned to it now, fresh from the sides of England and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-figes/the-currents-of-modern-civilization-had-somehow-passed-it-by-and-as/) [Orlando Figes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-figes/) > [“There’s the big advantage of backwardness. By the time the latest ideas reach Chicago, they’re worn thin and easy to see through. You don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/there-s-the-big-advantage-of-backwardness-by-the-time-the-latest/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“We Pfliegmans, however, are incapable of imagining anything. From the get-go, Pliegmans were outcasts in a country of outcasts. We were then, and probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-anthony/we-pfliegmans-however-are-incapable-of-imagining-anything-from-the/) [Jessica Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-anthony/) > [Numberless marks does man bear in his soul, that he is fallen and estranged from God; but nothing gives a greater proof thereof, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/numberless-marks-does-man-bear-in-his-soul-that-he-is-fallen-and/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [The huge advantage of Canada is its backwardness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/the-huge-advantage-of-canada-is-its-backwardness/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [“The transmogrification of Islam into Islamism is bad news not only for the West but also for the majority of Muslims who have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-reilly/the-transmogrification-of-islam-into-islamism-is-bad-news-not-only/) [Robert R. 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