--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America was a great force in the world…" description: "\"“America was a great force in the world, with immense prestige, long before we became a great military power. That power has come to us and we cannot r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/robert-francis-kennedy-53624_generous-spirit_america-was-a-great-force-in-the-world-w_1772498.jpg" --- # America was a great force in the world, with immense… ![“America was a great force in the world, with immense prestige, long before we became a great military power. That power has come to us and we cannot renounce it, but neither can we afford to forget that the real constructive force in the world comes not from bombs, but from imaginative ideas, warm…” quote by Robert Francis Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/robert-francis-kennedy-53624_generous-spirit_america-was-a-great-force-in-the-world-w_1772498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/robert-francis-kennedy-53624_generous-spirit_america-was-a-great-force-in-the-world-w_1772498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/robert-francis-kennedy-53624_generous-spirit_america-was-a-great-force-in-the-world-w_1772498.jpg) > ““America was a great force in the world, with immense prestige, long before we became a great military power. That power has come to us and we cannot renounce it, but neither can we afford to forget that the real constructive force in the world comes not from bombs, but from imaginative ideas, warm sympathies, and a generous spirit.”” [Robert Francis Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-francis-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power derives from ideas and compassion, not just military might. **In simple terms:** Ideas and kindness are true power. Key Takeaway Cultivate imagination and empathy. Themes leadership influence humanism Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational political When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - community building Key Concepts soft power cultural diplomacy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies prioritize creative solutions over force? - What role does empathy play in international relations? A Different Perspective Military strength alone cannot sustain global leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generous spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous-spirit/) [Great military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-military/) ## Related quotes > [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-force-of-history-comes-from-the-fact-that-we-carry-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This novel is not to be tossed lightly aside, but to be hurled with great force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-novel-is-not-to-be-tossed-lightly-aside-but-to-be-hurled-with/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Diversity is a great force towards creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/diversity-is-a-great-force-towards-creativity/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [“When you can actually measure your day by how much time is converted into products, then you are a great force on the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-can-actually-measure-your-day-by-how-much-time-is-converted/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [There is great force hidden in a sweet command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/there-is-great-force-hidden-in-a-sweet-command/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Stupid is a great force in human affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/stupid-is-a-great-force-in-human-affairs/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“You would do what is right, but what is right accomplishes nothing in our world, save when it is backed with great force.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/you-would-do-what-is-right-but-what-is-right-accomplishes-nothing-in/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [Mother was a great force in her area of evangelism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessi-colter/mother-was-a-great-force-in-her-area-of-evangelism/) [Jessi Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessi-colter/) > [Where the great force lies, there must be the sanction of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/where-the-great-force-lies-there-must-be-the-sanction-of-peace/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Religion is a great force - the only real motive force in the world; but what you fellows don't understand is that you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/religion-is-a-great-force-the-only-real-motive-force-in-the-world-but/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The little and the great are joined in one By God's great force. The wondrous golden sun Is linked unto the glow-worm's tiny spark;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-lazarus/the-little-and-the-great-are-joined-in-one-by-god-s-great-force-the/) [Emma Lazarus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-lazarus/) > [Trust is a great force multiplier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ridge/trust-is-a-great-force-multiplier/) [Tom Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ridge/) > [Anger is a great force. If you control it, it can be transmuted into a power which can move the whole world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shenstone/anger-is-a-great-force-if-you-control-it-it-can-be-transmuted-into-a/) [William Shenstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shenstone/) > [There is great force hidden in a gentle command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/there-is-great-force-hidden-in-a-gentle-command/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) ## More by Robert Francis Kennedy > [Gross National Product measures neither the health of our children, the quality of their education, nor the joy of their play. It measures neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-francis-kennedy/gross-national-product-measures-neither-the-health-of-our-children/) [Robert Francis Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-francis-kennedy/) > [It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-francis-kennedy/it-is-from-numberless-diverse-acts-of-courage-and-belief-that-human/) [Robert Francis Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-francis-kennedy/) > [I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-francis-kennedy/i-dream-of-things-that-never-were-and-ask-why-not/) [Robert Francis Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-francis-kennedy/) > [Moral courage is a more rare commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-francis-kennedy/moral-courage-is-a-more-rare-commodity-than-bravery-in-battle-or/) [Robert Francis Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-francis-kennedy/) > [The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-francis-kennedy/the-future-does-not-belong-to-those-who-are-content-with-today-2/) [Robert Francis Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-francis-kennedy/) [Explore all 6 Robert Francis Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-francis-kennedy/) ## More Generous spirit quotes > [Generous in spirit, richly poetic, and packed with memorable characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-millman/generous-in-spirit-richly-poetic-and-packed-with-memorable-characters/) [Lawrence Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-millman/) > [“It is because you are generous in spirit; and may I be like that; may I become like you—which unrealistic wish, to become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-is-because-you-are-generous-in-spirit-and-may-i-be-like-that-may-i/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [America faces an enemy who believes in enforced ignorance. And all that we stand for is the open mind, the generous spirit, the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/america-faces-an-enemy-who-believes-in-enforced-ignorance-and-all/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [“That's the test, when all is said and done. Does it persuade one to do good, to rise, to stand tall, to do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/that-s-the-test-when-all-is-said-and-done-does-it-persuade-one-to-do/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [“...But the Mahommedan religion increases, instead of lessening, the fury of intolerance. It was originally propagated by the sword, and ever since, its votaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/but-the-mahommedan-religion-increases-instead-of-lessening-the-fury/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [My intent is to be generous of spirit and live with total integrity every day of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/my-intent-is-to-be-generous-of-spirit-and-live-with-total-integrity/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Let us be honest. Did all the priests of Rome increase the mental wealth of man as much as Bruno? Did all the priests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/let-us-be-honest-did-all-the-priests-of-rome-increase-the-mental/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [No mean woman can cook well. It calls for a generous spirit, a light hand, and a large heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eden-phillpotts/no-mean-woman-can-cook-well-it-calls-for-a-generous-spirit-a-light/) [Eden Phillpotts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eden-phillpotts/) > [Cultivating a generous spirit starts with mindfulness. Mindfulness, simply stated, means paying attention to what is actually happening; it's about what is really going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-newman/cultivating-a-generous-spirit-starts-with-mindfulness-mindfulness/) Nell Newman > [“Gratitude of heart can often be seen in a generous spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/our-daily-bread-devotions/gratitude-of-heart-can-often-be-seen-in-a-generous-spirit/) Our Daily Bread devotions > [I want to be remembered as kind and generous of spirit and someone who loved to laugh and that I never took my blessings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-nicholls-king/i-want-to-be-remembered-as-kind-and-generous-of-spirit-and-someone/) [Melanie Nicholls-King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-nicholls-king/) > [A generous spirit is as eloquent in acknowledging benefits as it is bounteous in bestowing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/a-generous-spirit-is-as-eloquent-in-acknowledging-benefits-as-it-is/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [“Maybe what we really need is to change our relationship to what is, to see who we are with the strength of a generous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/maybe-what-we-really-need-is-to-change-our-relationship-to-what-is-to/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [I cannot overstate how much a generous spirit contributes to good luck. Look at the luckiest people around you, the ones you envy, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-cannot-overstate-how-much-a-generous-spirit-contributes-to-good/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“Not one day in anyone’s life is an uneventful day, no day without profound meaning, no matter how dull and boring it might seem,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/not-one-day-in-anyone-s-life-is-an-uneventful-day-no-day-without/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) [Browse all 43 Generous spirit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generous-spirit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“America was a great force in the world, with immense prestige, long before we became a great military power. 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