--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You think history is going to remember…" description: "\"You think history is going to remember the United States as a great democracy? No, they're going to think of us as a nation that became addicted to war..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/michael-moore-884_democracy_you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-t_1815434.jpg" --- # You think history is going to remember the United States… ![“You think history is going to remember the United States as a great democracy? No, they're going to think of us as a nation that became addicted to war. They'll call us warlords.” quote by Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/michael-moore-884_democracy_you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-t_1815434.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/michael-moore-884_democracy_you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-t_1815434.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/michael-moore-884_democracy_you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-t_1815434.jpg) > “You think history is going to remember the United States as a great democracy? No, they're going to think of us as a nation that became addicted to war. They'll call us warlords.” [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) ## 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 warns that America's endless wars may define its legacy more than its democratic ideals. **In simple terms:** War may eclipse democracy in history. Key Takeaway Consider the long‑term impact of foreign conflicts. Themes politics war national identity Mood critical reflective Type political cautionary When to use this quote - policy debates - educational curricula - media analysis - citizen activism Key Concepts imperialism historical legacy public perception Questions to Reflect On - How might current policies reshape this narrative? - What steps can reduce a war‑focused image? A Different Perspective It overlooks positive diplomatic achievements and internal reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Addicted War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addicted-war-2149535/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-democracy-1567182/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ll Warlords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ll-warlords-2149536/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Think History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-history/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Warlords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warlords/) ## Related quotes > [The human race is almost addicted to war. It's like we just can't stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-human-race-is-almost-addicted-to-war-it-s-like-we-just-can-t-stop/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Ours is a government of liberty by, through, and under the law. A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/ours-is-a-government-of-liberty-by-through-and-under-the-law-a-great/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The fact that we've been a great democracy doesn't mean we will automatically keep being one if we keep waving the flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/the-fact-that-we-ve-been-a-great-democracy-doesn-t-mean-we-will/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [“A great democracy has got to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/a-great-democracy-has-got-to-be-progressive-or-it-will-soon-cease-to/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“All those things happened before the reforms that ended bureaucratic practices. And those reforms made it possible for decisive men to take charge and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-christensen/all-those-things-happened-before-the-reforms-that-ended-bureaucratic/) [Andreas Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-christensen/) > [So many struggled so that all of us could have a voice in this great democracy and live up to the first three words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-washington/so-many-struggled-so-that-all-of-us-could-have-a-voice-in-this-great/) [Kerry Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-washington/) > [I welcome nonviolent protests as an exercise of our great democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-welcome-nonviolent-protests-as-an-exercise-of-our-great-democracy/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/a-great-democracy-must-be-progressive-or-it-will-soon-cease-to-be-a/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The goal of a great democracy should be fulfillment, not ease. It should be adequacy, not serenity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abram-l-sachar/the-goal-of-a-great-democracy-should-be-fulfillment-not-ease-it/) [Abram L. Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abram-l-sachar/) > [“A grayeyard is not a democracy, and yet death is the great democracy..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/a-grayeyard-is-not-a-democracy-and-yet-death-is-the-great-democracy/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [It's abominable, and it's a disgrace to a great democracy to see what's happened in our country. The main reason for that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/it-s-abominable-and-it-s-a-disgrace-to-a-great-democracy-to-see-what/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [My joke about Aaron Sorkin is that The West Wing was a great show about democracy, run by Kim Jong-Il!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/my-joke-about-aaron-sorkin-is-that-the-west-wing-was-a-great-show/) [Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/) > [And if our goal as moral citizens is to make the world a better place, then there is only once choice: to pump as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-levant/and-if-our-goal-as-moral-citizens-is-to-make-the-world-a-better-place/) [Ezra Levant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-levant/) > [Return to Shaoshan I regret the passing, the dying, of the vague dream: my native orchards thirty-two years ago. Yet red banners roused the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/return-to-shaoshan-i-regret-the-passing-the-dying-of-the-vague-dream/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [Wars--and what is war except crime on a mass scale?--destroy rather than produce. The vandal that destroys a window causes not only the owner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-young/wars-and-what-is-war-except-crime-on-a-mass-scale-destroy-rather-than/) [Adam Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-young/) ## More by Michael Moore > [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [You share things with people and I think information, and art, and ideas should be shared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/you-share-things-with-people-and-i-think-information-and-art-and/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [The purpose of art actually is, in many cases, to make you feel quite uncomfortable. Or at least to go to that place that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-purpose-of-art-actually-is-in-many-cases-to-make-you-feel-quite/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Capitalism is against the things that we say we believe in - democracy, freedom of choice, fairness. It's not about any of those things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/capitalism-is-against-the-things-that-we-say-we-believe-in-democracy/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [We live in a time when fictitious election results elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man sending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/we-live-in-a-time-when-fictitious-election-results-elect-a-fictitious/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [A government run by billionaires for billionaires is an affront to freedom and morality and humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/a-government-run-by-billionaires-for-billionaires-is-an-affront-to/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [There Is No Terrorist Threat In This Country. This Is A Lie. This Is The Biggest Lie We've Been Told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/there-is-no-terrorist-threat-in-this-country-this-is-a-lie-this-is/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [The real problem with the IRS is that they let General Electric not pay any taxes -- and 50 other corporations -- that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/the-real-problem-with-the-irs-is-that-they-let-general-electric-not/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Hope for the best is what we do, right from the moment we're born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/hope-for-the-best-is-what-we-do-right-from-the-moment-we-re-born/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I get called 'controversial' all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-get-called-controversial-all-the-time/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [This book, 'Stupid White Men,' has sold now over four million copies worldwide. Probably about half of that may be in the U.S. and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/this-book-stupid-white-men-has-sold-now-over-four-million-copies/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [There's nothing pure about capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/there-s-nothing-pure-about-capitalism/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [If we say, 'The government sucks,' we're kind of saying that we suck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-we-say-the-government-sucks-we-re-kind-of-saying-that-we-suck/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Nobody was talking about healthcare until 'Sicko' came out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/nobody-was-talking-about-healthcare-until-sicko-came-out/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I have enormous respect for anyone who would offer to sacrifice their life to defend my right to live. Is there any greater gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-have-enormous-respect-for-anyone-who-would-offer-to-sacrifice-their/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) [Explore all 339 Michael Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [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/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You think history is going to remember the United States as a great democracy? No, they're going to think of us as a nation that became addicted to war. They'll call us warlords.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-the-united-states-as-a-great/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-the-united-states-as-a-great/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/michael-moore-884_democracy_you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-t_1815434.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/michael-moore-884_democracy_you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-t_1815434.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/michael-moore-884_democracy_you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-t_1815434.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You think history is going to remember the United States as a great democracy? No, they're going to think of…” — Michael Moore", "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": "Michael Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You think history is going to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-the-united-states-as-a-great/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/you-think-history-is-going-to-remember-the-united-states-as-a-great/#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 } } ] } ```