--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Privileged groups seldom give up their…" description: "\"“Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.”\" — Martin Luther King Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_privilege_privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-p_87570.jpg" --- # Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges… ![“Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.” quote by Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_privilege_privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-p_87570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_privilege_privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-p_87570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_privilege_privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-p_87570.jpg) > ““Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.”” [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Those who benefit from systemic advantages rarely relinquish them without external pressure or moral awakening. **In simple terms:** Privilege is rarely surrendered voluntarily. Key Takeaway Power resists loss. Themes social justice privilege inequality activism power Mood urgent critical hopeful Type statement philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights campaigns - policy advocacy - educational workshops Key Concepts systemic oppression social change Practical Applications - activist training - public speaking Questions to Reflect On - What triggers privileged groups to give up advantage? - How can allies accelerate change? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Groups Seldom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groups-seldom-1098167/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Privileged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privileged/) [Privileged Groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privileged-groups-1098164/) [Privileges Voluntarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privileges-voluntarily-1098165/) [Seldom Privileges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seldom-privileges-1098166/) ## Related quotes > [History is the long and tragic story of the fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/history-is-the-long-and-tragic-story-of-the-fact-that-privileged/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“Lamentably, it is a historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/lamentably-it-is-a-historical-fact-that-privileged-groups-seldom-give/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“My friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/my-friends-i-must-say-to-you-that-we-have-not-made-a-single-gain-in-2/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [Generally speaking, the less privileged groups in democratic society, as they become aware of their interests and their political power, will be found to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-myrdal/generally-speaking-the-less-privileged-groups-in-democratic-society/) [Gunnar Myrdal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-myrdal/) > [Since inequalities of privilege are greater than could possibly be defended rationally, the intelligence of privileged groups is usually applied to the task of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/since-inequalities-of-privilege-are-greater-than-could-possibly-be/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [It is among the less privileged groups relatively new to leisure and consumption that the zest for possessions retains something of its pristine energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-riesman/it-is-among-the-less-privileged-groups-relatively-new-to-leisure-and/) [David Riesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-riesman/) > [For me, true and authentic democracy occurs when the privileged groups assist the unprivileged groups to become more privileged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-phane-hessel/for-me-true-and-authentic-democracy-occurs-when-the-privileged-groups/) [Stephane Hessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-phane-hessel/) > [“Privileged groups work for greater power consolidation through favoritism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/privileged-groups-work-for-greater-power-consolidation-through/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > ["Marginalized others" have access to other ways of knowing, and therefore to deeper, more authentic truths about human reality. They can share that knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-hoff-sommers/marginalized-others-have-access-to-other-ways-of-knowing-and/) [Christina Hoff Sommers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-hoff-sommers/) > [Privileged groups, like everyone else, want to think well of themselves and to believe that they are acting generously and justly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-russ/privileged-groups-like-everyone-else-want-to-think-well-of-themselves/) [Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-russ/) > [“Naming oppressive realities, in and of itself, has not brought about the kinds of changes for oppressed groups that it can for more privileged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/naming-oppressive-realities-in-and-of-itself-has-not-brought-about/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“Don't think you're privileged when the sun falls on you; don’t consider yourself cursed when darkness falls on you! So why? Because that's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/don-t-think-you-re-privileged-when-the-sun-falls-on-you-don-t/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Privilege, if you're very strict, is an immoral and unjust thing to have, but if you've got it you didn't choose to get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-evans/privilege-if-you-re-very-strict-is-an-immoral-and-unjust-thing-to/) [Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-evans/) > [The police can go to downtown Harlem and pick up a kid with a joint in the streets. But they can't go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-police-can-go-to-downtown-harlem-and-pick-up-a-kid-with-a-joint/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Yeah, and there’s this constant refrain from privileged people; it’s like they’re all racing to prove how miserable they used to be. Every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-archura/yeah-and-there-s-this-constant-refrain-from-privileged-people-it-s/) [K. Archura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-archura/) ## More by Martin Luther King Jr > [We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-have-learned-to-fly-the-air-like-birds-and-swim-the-sea-like-fish/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [I had a dreamthat you would just shut the fuck up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/i-had-a-dreamthat-you-would-just-shut-the-fuck-up/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/yes-if-you-want-to-say-that-i-was-a-drum-major-say-that-i-was-a-drum/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-must-forever-conduct-our-struggle-on-the-high-plane-of-dignity-and/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/it-may-be-true-that-the-law-cannot-make-a-man-love-me-but-it-can-stop/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [God has set the type of marriage everywhere throughout the creation. Every creature seeks its perfection in another. The very heavens and earth picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/god-has-set-the-type-of-marriage-everywhere-throughout-the-creation/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [A nation that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/a-nation-that-continues-to-produce-soft-minded-men-purchases-its-own/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“It is not enough to say, 'We must not wage war.' It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it. We must concentrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/it-is-not-enough-to-say-we-must-not-wage-war-it-is-necessary-to-love/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“When, for decades, you have been able to make a man compromise his manhood by threatening him with a cruel and unjust punishment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/when-for-decades-you-have-been-able-to-make-a-man-compromise-his/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/the-question-is-not-whether-we-will-be-extremists-but-what-kind-of/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Deep in our history of struggle for freedom, Canada was the North star”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/deep-in-our-history-of-struggle-for-freedom-canada-was-the-north-star/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/and-he-s-allowed-me-to-go-to-the-mountain-and-i-ve-looked-over-and-i/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-know-through-painful-experience-that-freedom-is-never-voluntarily/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/returning-hate-for-hate-multiplies-hate-adding-deeper-darkness-to-a/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“When a police dog buried his fangs in the ankle of a small child in Birmingham, he buried his fangs in the ankle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/when-a-police-dog-buried-his-fangs-in-the-ankle-of-a-small-child-in/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) [Explore all 219 Martin Luther King Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) ## More Privilege quotes > [Black Privilege is a concrete motive that black people benefit from, such as racism but racism on whites. Black people don't know it but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/black-privilege-is-a-concrete-motive-that-black-people-benefit-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What a great privilege it is to be here](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-l-oscarson/what-a-great-privilege-it-is-to-be-here/) [Bonnie L. Oscarson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-l-oscarson/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-privilege-of-a-lifetime-is-being-who-you-are/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [For me the dream is the freedom to make all the crazy ideas I have in my head into movies. I truly love directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-ozeki/for-me-the-dream-is-the-freedom-to-make-all-the-crazy-ideas-i-have-in/) [Nicholas Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-ozeki/) > [“Equality of condition and equality of opportunity must provide the foundation of an interdependent nation with building blocks found in dignity and respect given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-banks-lewis/equality-of-condition-and-equality-of-opportunity-must-provide-the/) [Julie Banks Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-banks-lewis/) > [“Yeah, and there’s this constant refrain from privileged people; it’s like they’re all racing to prove how miserable they used to be. Every single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-archura/yeah-and-there-s-this-constant-refrain-from-privileged-people-it-s/) [K. Archura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-archura/) > [When I read 'The Master', I felt that I had read a true classic. It's so rare nowadays that you have that feeling: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-foreman/when-i-read-the-master-i-felt-that-i-had-read-a-true-classic-it-s-so/) [Amanda Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-foreman/) > [Covid-19 has lit an even hotter fire in me to become a more active participant in advocating for homeless people and homelessness relief. Being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myha-la/covid-19-has-lit-an-even-hotter-fire-in-me-to-become-a-more-active/) [Myha'la](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myha-la/) > [Playing alongside Messi is special for me. He's a player I always wanted to play with. I have played against him with Brazil, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulinho/playing-alongside-messi-is-special-for-me-he-s-a-player-i-always/) [Paulinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulinho/) > [The least grace is a better security for heaven than the greatest gifts or privileges whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/the-least-grace-is-a-better-security-for-heaven-than-the-greatest/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [People who are privileged can take more risks because of that safety shield that privilege provides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varun-grover/people-who-are-privileged-can-take-more-risks-because-of-that-safety/) [Varun Grover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varun-grover/) > [ I learned more in those six months \[ in the White House\] than in the prior six years. I don't think that anybody who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-learned-more-in-those-six-months-in-the-white-house-than-in-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Every coercive monopoly was created by government intervention into the economy: by special privileges, such as franchises or subsidies, which closed the entry of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/every-coercive-monopoly-was-created-by-government-intervention-into/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-the-province-of-knowledge-to-speak-and-it-is-the-privilege-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,788 Privilege quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-privileges-voluntarily/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Privilege" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-privileges-voluntarily/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_privilege_privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-p_87570.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_privilege_privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-p_87570.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/martin-luther-king-jr-2-1523_privilege_privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-p_87570.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.” — Martin Luther King Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Privileged groups seldom give up their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-privileges-voluntarily/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/privileged-groups-seldom-give-up-their-privileges-voluntarily/#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 } } ] } ```