--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A country, after all, is not something…" description: "\"A country, after all, is not something you build as the pharaohs built the pyramids, and then leave standing there to defy eternity. A country is somet..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/pierre-trudeau-3495_built_a-country-after-all-is-not-something-you_645966.jpg" --- # A country, after all, is not something you build as the… ![“A country, after all, is not something you build as the pharaohs built the pyramids, and then leave standing there to defy eternity. A country is something that is built every day out of certain basic shared values.” quote by Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/pierre-trudeau-3495_built_a-country-after-all-is-not-something-you_645966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/pierre-trudeau-3495_built_a-country-after-all-is-not-something-you_645966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db0/pierre-trudeau-3495_built_a-country-after-all-is-not-something-you_645966.jpg) > “A country, after all, is not something you build as the pharaohs built the pyramids, and then leave standing there to defy eternity. A country is something that is built every day out of certain basic shared values.” [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A nation is not a static monument but a living project, rebuilt daily through shared values and collective effort rather than grand, one‑time constructions. **In simple terms:** Nation building is a daily, value‑driven process. Key Takeaway Cultivate shared values continuously. Themes nationhood values collective action identity Mood hopeful committed Type civic inspirational When to use this quote - community organizing - policy making - education reform - national holidays Key Concepts political science social contract civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - What values do you uphold in your community? - How can you contribute to daily nation building? A Different Perspective Large monuments can distract from everyday civic responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Build Pharaohs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-pharaohs-5176626/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Built Pyramids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built-pyramids-362084/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Country Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-build-534142/) [Country Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country-built-545814/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Pharaohs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pharaohs/) [Pyramids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pyramids/) [Shared values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared-values/) [Standing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing/) [Standing there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standing-there/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [Joseph built the pyramids in order to store grain. Now, all the archeologists think that they were made for the pharaoh's graves. But, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/joseph-built-the-pyramids-in-order-to-store-grain-now-all-the/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [They say the Pharaohs built the pyramids Do you think one Pharaoh dropped one bead of sweat? We built the pyramids for the Pharaohs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-louise-strong/they-say-the-pharaohs-built-the-pyramids-do-you-think-one-pharaoh/) [Anna Louise Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-louise-strong/) > [It takes a long time for a country to build a strong base in science, but only a short time to destroy it. Germany…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torsten-wiesel/it-takes-a-long-time-for-a-country-to-build-a-strong-base-in-science/) [Torsten Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torsten-wiesel/) > [Blow up your TV...throw away your paper...move to the country and build you a home. 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The only logical explanation is...those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/it-s-foolish-to-trump-up-stories-about-how-primitive-humans-built/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Humans are so busy asking about who or what had built the pyramids. For me, whoever had built pyramids, the message is so clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/humans-are-so-busy-asking-about-who-or-what-had-built-the-pyramids/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“She looked so hopeful he would have built the pyramids for her single-handedly to satisfy that hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-gibbs/she-looked-so-hopeful-he-would-have-built-the-pyramids-for-her-single/) [C.C. Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-gibbs/) > [ White folks was in the caves while we \[blacks\] was building empires ... We built pyramids before Donald Trump ever knew what architecture was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/white-folks-was-in-the-caves-while-we-blacks-was-building-empires-we/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) ## More by Pierre Trudeau > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Obviously, the state's responsibility should be to legislate rules for a well-ordered society. It has no right or duty to creep into the bedrooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/obviously-the-state-s-responsibility-should-be-to-legislate-rules-for/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [In specific terms I don't think I could make any suggestions, but in general terms I believe that it is because Canadians have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/in-specific-terms-i-don-t-think-i-could-make-any-suggestions-but-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think that religions must seek peace and love and therefore be pacifist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-that-religions-must-seek-peace-and-love-and-therefore-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Freedom can flow from order. 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In an era and in a society where freedom of speech was not held in high regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-jesuits-were-good-educators-exceptional-teachers-in-an-era-and-in/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Americans should never underestimate the constant pressure on Canada which the mere presence of the United States has produced. We're different people from you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/americans-should-never-underestimate-the-constant-pressure-on-canada/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I must say that "Give Peace a Chance" has always seemed to me to be sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-must-say-that-give-peace-a-chance-has-always-seemed-to-me-to-be/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. What's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/there-s-no-place-for-the-state-in-the-bedrooms-of-the-nation-what-s/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I think all of us, politicians and churchmen, should do our utmost to change the society so that there would be no need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/i-think-all-of-us-politicians-and-churchmen-should-do-our-utmost-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [The Canadian community must invest, for the defence and better appreciation of the French language, as much time, energy, and money as are required…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-canadian-community-must-invest-for-the-defence-and-better/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [Perhaps the rediscovery of our humanity, and the potential of the human spirit which we have read about in legends of older civilizations, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/perhaps-the-rediscovery-of-our-humanity-and-the-potential-of-the/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) [Explore all 129 Pierre Trudeau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) ## More Built quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. 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When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Call me the rap assassinator / rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/call-me-the-rap-assassinator-rhymes-rugged-and-built-like/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. 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