---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is, in the circumstances of modern…"
description: "\"“There is, in the circumstances of modern life, only one solution to the problem of resentment, and that is social mobility. The worst thing that the s..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/roger-scruton-971_education_there-is-in-the-circumstances-of-modern_742436.jpg"
---

#  There is, in the circumstances of modern life, only one…

![“There is, in the circumstances of modern life, only one solution to the problem of resentment, and that is social mobility. The worst thing that the state can do is to create those traps – the poverty trap, the welfare trap, the education trap – which deprive people of the motives and the skills…” quote by Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/roger-scruton-971_education_there-is-in-the-circumstances-of-modern_742436.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/roger-scruton-971_education_there-is-in-the-circumstances-of-modern_742436.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16e/roger-scruton-971_education_there-is-in-the-circumstances-of-modern_742436.jpg)

> ““There is, in the circumstances of modern life, only one solution to the problem of resentment, and that is social mobility. The worst thing that the state can do is to create those traps – the poverty trap, the welfare trap, the education trap – which deprive people of the motives and the skills to improve their lot, and retain them in a state of permanent discontented dependence on a world that they cannot fully enter. In””

[Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Social mobility is presented as the sole remedy to resentment, arguing that state-created traps like poverty and welfare foster dependence and discontent.

**In simple terms:** Mobility can end resentment caused by state traps.

Key Takeaway

Promote policies that enable upward mobility.

Themes

social policy inequality dependence mobility state responsibility

Mood

critical analytical concerned

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- public policy design
- education reform
- poverty alleviation
- career advancement
- urban planning

Key Concepts

Welfare trap poverty trap education trap social mobility resentment

Questions to Reflect On

- What policies best break these traps?
- Can mobility alone resolve deep-rooted resentment?

A Different Perspective

The claim overlooks structural barriers beyond mobility, such as discrimination and systemic bias.

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[Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Modern life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-life/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Social mobility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-mobility/)

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