--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a radical in thought (and principle)…" description: "\"I am a radical in thought (and principle) and a conservative in method (and conduct).\" — Rutherford B. Hayes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_conservative_i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle_1137727.jpg" --- # I am a radical in thought (and principle) and a… ![“I am a radical in thought (and principle) and a conservative in method (and conduct).” quote by Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_conservative_i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle_1137727.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_conservative_i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle_1137727.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_conservative_i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle_1137727.jpg) > “I am a radical in thought (and principle) and a conservative in method (and conduct).” [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing innovative ideas with traditional practices ensures progress without chaos. **In simple terms:** New ideas need steady methods. Key Takeaway Combine bold thinking with reliable execution. Themes innovation tradition balance Mood thoughtful determined Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - organizational change - personal development Key Concepts political philosophy pragmatism Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep your methods flexible while staying principled? - What risks arise from being too conservative in execution? A Different Perspective Radical ideas may be ignored if methods are too rigid. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) ## Related quotes > [I think that the principle of the Conservative Party is jealousy of liberty and of the people , only qualified by fear ; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-gladstone/i-think-that-the-principle-of-the-conservative-party-is-jealousy-of/) [William E. Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-gladstone/) > [There's a lot of active radical thought today but not much action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-stewart/there-s-a-lot-of-active-radical-thought-today-but-not-much-action/) [Lynne Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-stewart/) > [In addition to trying to do the right thing and obey the law and follow principle, there's a part of the conservative, slash, Republican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/in-addition-to-trying-to-do-the-right-thing-and-obey-the-law-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Radical thought has inspired many of the great political and social reform movements in American history, from ending slavery to establishing the minimum wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-bernstein/radical-thought-has-inspired-many-of-the-great-political-and-social/) [Carl Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-bernstein/) > [We had people who did housing, people who did anti-war, people who did schools. Everyone operated in their own niche, but not separately. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-stewart/we-had-people-who-did-housing-people-who-did-anti-war-people-who-did/) [Lynne Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-stewart/) > [Critical and radical thought will only bear fruit when it is blended with the most precious quality man is endowed with - the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/critical-and-radical-thought-will-only-bear-fruit-when-it-is-blended/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [It is the task of radical thought, since the world is given to us unintelligibly, to make it more unintelligible, more enigmatic, more fabulous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/it-is-the-task-of-radical-thought-since-the-world-is-given-to-us/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [“Most of Mycroft's ideas were far too dangerous to even think about, much less let loose on a world unprepared for hyper-radical thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/most-of-mycroft-s-ideas-were-far-too-dangerous-to-even-think-about/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“Any radical thought always adopts the most extreme position of desperation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-radical-thought-always-adopts-the-most-extreme-position-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think if I had to put a finger on what I consider a good education, a good radical education, it wouldn't be anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-horton/i-think-if-i-had-to-put-a-finger-on-what-i-consider-a-good-education/) [Myles Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-horton/) > [ We \[he and his wife Trish Van Devere\] don't talk politics. I'm an independent conservative; she's a radical Democrat. We never vote together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-scott/we-he-and-his-wife-trish-van-devere-don-t-talk-politics-i-m-an/) [George C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-scott/) > [As you get to the end of the project you want to run all the tests cases against one version and make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/as-you-get-to-the-end-of-the-project-you-want-to-run-all-the-tests/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Women tend to be conservative in youth and get more radical as they get older because they lose power with age. So if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/women-tend-to-be-conservative-in-youth-and-get-more-radical-as-they/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [If a man is right, he can't be too radical; if he is wrong, he can't be too conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-a-man-is-right-he-can-t-be-too-radical-if-he-is-wrong-he-can-t-be/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [The shortest way to change a radical into a conservative, a liberal into a tyrant, a man into a beast, is to give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-shortest-way-to-change-a-radical-into-a-conservative-a-liberal/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) ## More by Rutherford B. Hayes > [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [No person connected with me by blood or marriage will be appointed to office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/no-person-connected-with-me-by-blood-or-marriage-will-be-appointed-to/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The President of the United States should strive to be always mindful of the fact that he serves his party best who serves his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-president-of-the-united-states-should-strive-to-be-always-mindful/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The gloomy theology of the orthodox--the Calvinists--I do not, I cannot believe. Many of the notions--nay, most of the notions--which orthodox people have of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-gloomy-theology-of-the-orthodox-the-calvinists-i-do-not-i-cannot/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Every age has its temptations, its weaknesses, its dangers. Ours is in the line of the snobbish and the sordid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/every-age-has-its-temptations-its-weaknesses-its-dangers-ours-is-in/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Strikes and boycotting are akin to war, and can be justified only on grounds analogous to those which justify war, viz., intolerable injustice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/strikes-and-boycotting-are-akin-to-war-and-can-be-justified-only-on/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The melancholy thing in our public life is the insane desire to get higher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-melancholy-thing-in-our-public-life-is-the-insane-desire-to-get/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [As friends go it is less important to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/as-friends-go-it-is-less-important-to-live/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [ My father and mother in 1817 were forty-nine days on the road with their emigrant wagons \[from Vermont\] to Ohio. More than two days… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/my-father-and-mother-in-1817-were-forty-nine-days-on-the-road-with/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Unjust attacks on public men do them more good than unmerited praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/unjust-attacks-on-public-men-do-them-more-good-than-unmerited-praise/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Nobody ever left the presidency with less regret, less disappointment, fewer heart burnings, or any general content with the result of his term (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nobody-ever-left-the-presidency-with-less-regret-less-disappointment/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [If a liberal policy towards the late Rebels is adopted, the ultra Republicans are opposed to it; if the colored people are honored, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/if-a-liberal-policy-towards-the-late-rebels-is-adopted-the-ultra/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [Disunion and civil war are at hand; and yet I fear disunion and war less than compromise. We can recover from them. The free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/disunion-and-civil-war-are-at-hand-and-yet-i-fear-disunion-and-war/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [The best religion the world has ever known is the religion of the Bible. It builds up all that is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/the-best-religion-the-world-has-ever-known-is-the-religion-of-the/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) > [There is a great deal of strength in Garfield's life and struggles as a self-made man… From poverty and obscurity, by labor at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/there-is-a-great-deal-of-strength-in-garfield-s-life-and-struggles-as/) [Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) [Explore all 129 Rutherford B. Hayes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/) ## More Conservative quotes > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Progressive Conservative candidates from Quebec want to exert real power in Ottawa, not simply be content with playing a secondary role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/progressive-conservative-candidates-from-quebec-want-to-exert-real/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) > [Play small ball. Get back to basics. I would say that you need to be a conservative, but you need to maintain your independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/play-small-ball-get-back-to-basics-i-would-say-that-you-need-to-be-a/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I am a conservative type of person, so sometimes when I'm chilling with myself, people always come ask me, 'What's wrong with you? What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-wonder/i-am-a-conservative-type-of-person-so-sometimes-when-i-m-chilling/) [Wayne Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-wonder/) > [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/) [James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/) > [I'm a principle liberty, rule-of-law Conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-toole/i-m-a-principle-liberty-rule-of-law-conservative/) [Erin O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-toole/) > [I would say I'm a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, if that contradiction can make sense, because in Bolivia, we have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/i-would-say-i-m-a-fiscal-conservative-and-a-social-liberal-if-that/) [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gonzalo-sanchez-de-lozada/) > [My dad's quite a conservative person, and he brought me up to be very questioning of the commercial world. He looked down on pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-dad-s-quite-a-conservative-person-and-he-brought-me-up-to-be-very/) [Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/) > [To all conservative women out there: If you are so sure the embryo needed for stem cell research are precious human life that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/to-all-conservative-women-out-there-if-you-are-so-sure-the-embryo/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [There are a lot of conservative people, a lot of moderate people, Republicans, Democrats, in Hollywood. It is just that the conservative people by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/there-are-a-lot-of-conservative-people-a-lot-of-moderate-people/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [“Those who consider themselves ‘Conservative’ frequently identify with family values, so they should consider carefully the fact that in 1960, only 18% of women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/those-who-consider-themselves-conservative-frequently-identify-with/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [A faithfully kept program of savings and conservative investments can give you more money and a better life than that of your neighbors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-bryant-quinn/a-faithfully-kept-program-of-savings-and-conservative-investments-can/) [Jane Bryant Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-bryant-quinn/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) [Browse all 2,995 Conservative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a radical in thought (and principle) and a conservative in method (and conduct).", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rutherford B. Hayes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle-and-a-conservative-in-method/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conservative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle-and-a-conservative-in-method/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_conservative_i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle_1137727.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_conservative_i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle_1137727.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/rutherford-b-hayes-3486_conservative_i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle_1137727.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a radical in thought (and principle) and a conservative in method (and conduct).” — Rutherford B. Hayes", "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": "Rutherford B. Hayes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am a radical in thought...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle-and-a-conservative-in-method/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/i-am-a-radical-in-thought-and-principle-and-a-conservative-in-method/#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 } } ] } ```