--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the nineteenth century, the central…" description: "\"In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2e/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_around-the-world_in-the-nineteenth-century-the-central-mo_1589157.png" --- # In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was… ![“In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world.” quote by Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2e/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_around-the-world_in-the-nineteenth-century-the-central-mo_1589157.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2e/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_around-the-world_in-the-nineteenth-century-the-central-mo_1589157.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2e/nicholas-d-kristof-4679_around-the-world_in-the-nineteenth-century-the-central-mo_1589157.png) > “In the nineteenth century, the central moral challenge was slavery. In the twentieth century, it was the battle against totalitarianism. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world.” [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each era’s biggest moral issue shifts: slavery, totalitarianism, now gender equality. **In simple terms:** Moral focus evolves with history; now gender equality. Key Takeaway Champion gender equality worldwide. Themes human rights equality social progress Mood determined inspired Type activist philosophical When to use this quote - political debates - education reform - media campaigns Key Concepts feminism global policy activism Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take for gender equity? - How does history inform current struggles? A Different Perspective Progress may be uneven across regions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Central Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/central-moral-619920/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Challenge Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-slavery-6019092/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Gender equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender-equality/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-challenge-531675/) [Nineteenth century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nineteenth-century/) [Paramount Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paramount-moral-4099575/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Twentieth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-twentieth-6019093/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Totalitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarianism/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [In the same way that slavery was a moral challenge for the 19th century and totalitarianism was a challenge for the 20th century, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-wudunn/in-the-same-way-that-slavery-was-a-moral-challenge-for-the-19th/) [Sheryl WuDunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-wudunn/) > [The central moral issue of science is that we do not have a science of peace and hardly know where to begin in building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-lederberg/the-central-moral-issue-of-science-is-that-we-do-not-have-a-science/) [Joshua Lederberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-lederberg/) > [I believe that the community's duty to education is, therefore, its paramount moral duty. 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