--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think we have gone through a period…" description: "\"“I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand 'I have a problem, it is the government's job to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/margaret-thatcher-463_children_i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-wh_1467997.jpg" --- # I think we have gone through a period when too many… ![“I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand 'I have a problem, it is the government's job to cope with it!' or 'I have a problem, I will go and get a grant to cope with it!'; 'I am homeless, the government must house me!' and so they are…” quote by Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/margaret-thatcher-463_children_i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-wh_1467997.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/margaret-thatcher-463_children_i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-wh_1467997.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/margaret-thatcher-463_children_i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-wh_1467997.jpg) > ““I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand 'I have a problem, it is the government's job to cope with it!' or 'I have a problem, I will go and get a grant to cope with it!'; 'I am homeless, the government must house me!' and so they are casting their problems on society and who is society? "There is no such thing! There are individual men and women and there are families, and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first. "It is our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbour and life is a reciprocal business and people have got the entitlements too much in mind without the obligations.”” [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## 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 argues that individuals should take personal responsibility rather than relying on government, emphasizing mutual aid and personal initiative. **In simple terms:** People should help themselves first. Key Takeaway Take personal responsibility before expecting government aid. Themes politics individualism responsibility government community Mood critical balanced thoughtful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debate - community projects - personal finance - social services Key Concepts Social contract welfare state self-reliance Questions to Reflect On - How can society balance personal responsibility with collective support? - What policies can empower individuals while protecting the vulnerable? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on personal responsibility can ignore systemic barriers and inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [“I think we've been through a period where too many people have been given to understand that if they have a problem, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-we-ve-been-through-a-period-where-too-many-people-have-been/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [People constantly requesting government intervention are casting their problems at society. And, you know, there's no such thing as society. There are individual men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/people-constantly-requesting-government-intervention-are-casting/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [We should get rid of the SAT as fast as we can. Look, there are bigger problems in society. This is not the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-katzman/we-should-get-rid-of-the-sat-as-fast-as-we-can-look-there-are-bigger/) [John Katzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-katzman/) > [Unless we can join forces and recognize each other's humanity, how can we do business together, let alone make progress on the increasingly complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lubetzky/unless-we-can-join-forces-and-recognize-each-other-s-humanity-how-can/) [Daniel Lubetzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lubetzky/) > [I think the idea that the systemic problems in a society lead to illness is important to know. We shouldn't be separating out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-rankine/i-think-the-idea-that-the-systemic-problems-in-a-society-lead-to/) [Claudia Rankine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-rankine/) > [I think that there are so many problems that we have as a society that AI can help us address.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-etzioni/i-think-that-there-are-so-many-problems-that-we-have-as-a-society/) [Oren Etzioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-etzioni/) > [A lot of problems in the society exist because we don't talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anubhav-sinha/a-lot-of-problems-in-the-society-exist-because-we-don-t-talk-about-it/) [Anubhav Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anubhav-sinha/) > [One of the real problems of society is that its far too atomized, what sociologists call secondary associations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/one-of-the-real-problems-of-society-is-that-its-far-too-atomized-what/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I thought to myself: What are the most important problems that society faces that I could contribute to? And it was clear that finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-thought-to-myself-what-are-the-most-important-problems-that-society/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I prefer shows like Purushkshetra' on TV, which highlight the values and problems of the society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirron-kher/i-prefer-shows-like-purushkshetra-on-tv-which-highlight-the-values/) [Kirron Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirron-kher/) > [When all you can think of is your own personal problems, you have nothing to give to your society. If you're trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/when-all-you-can-think-of-is-your-own-personal-problems-you-have/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Education will not cure all the problems of society, but without it no cure for any problem is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/education-will-not-cure-all-the-problems-of-society-but-without-it-no/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [With my first album, I was just simply trying to highlight problems within society and put it into pop songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-mckenna/with-my-first-album-i-was-just-simply-trying-to-highlight-problems/) [Declan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-mckenna/) > [Television and radio do a wonderful job in focusing attention on the problems of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-daley/television-and-radio-do-a-wonderful-job-in-focusing-attention-on-the/) [Richard J. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-daley/) > [One of the greatest sources of problems in our society arises from people having loads of wrong theories in their heads - often theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/one-of-the-greatest-sources-of-problems-in-our-society-arises-from/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) ## More by Margaret Thatcher > [When you stop a dictator, there are always risks. But there are greater risks in not stopping a dictator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-you-stop-a-dictator-there-are-always-risks-but-there-are-greater/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Ideally, when Christians meet, as Christians do, to take counsel together, their purpose is not ( or should not be) to ascertain what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/ideally-when-christians-meet-as-christians-do-to-take-counsel/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [If it's me against 48, I feel sorry for the 48.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/if-it-s-me-against-48-i-feel-sorry-for-the-48/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [ \[When asked how it felt to be a female prime minister:\] I don't know: I've never experienced the alternative. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-asked-how-it-felt-to-be-a-female-prime-minister-i-don-t-know-i/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. 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I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/what-is-success-i-think-it-is-a-mixture-of-having-a-flair-for-the/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Personal virtue is no substitute for political hard-headedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/personal-virtue-is-no-substitute-for-political-hard-headedness/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The Government wants a peaceful settlement. But we totally reject a peaceful sell-out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-government-wants-a-peaceful-settlement-but-we-totally-reject-a/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Major international interventions are doomed unless the US is directly or indirectly involved. 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Don't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/we-have-made-too-much-of-one-or-two-people-and-we-think-that-they-can/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I pay tribute to John Major's achievement in persuading the other 11 Community Heads of Government that they could move ahead to a Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-pay-tribute-to-john-major-s-achievement-in-persuading-the-other-11/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) [Explore all 539 Margaret Thatcher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. 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There are individual men and women and there are families, and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first. \"It is our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbour and life is a reciprocal business and people have got the entitlements too much in mind without the obligations.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Thatcher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-when-too-many-children-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-when-too-many-children-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/margaret-thatcher-463_children_i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-wh_1467997.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/margaret-thatcher-463_children_i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-wh_1467997.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cc/margaret-thatcher-463_children_i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-wh_1467997.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think we have gone through a period when too many children and people have been given to understand 'I…” — Margaret Thatcher", "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": "Margaret Thatcher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I think we have gone through...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-when-too-many-children-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-think-we-have-gone-through-a-period-when-too-many-children-and/#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 } } ] } ```