--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a state of tranquility, wealth, and…" description: "\"In a state of tranquility, wealth, and luxury, our descendants would forget the arts of war and the noble activity and zeal which made their ancestors ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/samuel-adams-3491_accelerate_in-a-state-of-tranquility-wealth-and-lux_1748241.jpg" --- # In a state of tranquility, wealth, and luxury, our… ![“In a state of tranquility, wealth, and luxury, our descendants would forget the arts of war and the noble activity and zeal which made their ancestors invincible. Every art of corruption would be employed to loosen the bond of union which renders our resistance formidable. When the spirit of…” quote by Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/samuel-adams-3491_accelerate_in-a-state-of-tranquility-wealth-and-lux_1748241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/samuel-adams-3491_accelerate_in-a-state-of-tranquility-wealth-and-lux_1748241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/samuel-adams-3491_accelerate_in-a-state-of-tranquility-wealth-and-lux_1748241.jpg) > “In a state of tranquility, wealth, and luxury, our descendants would forget the arts of war and the noble activity and zeal which made their ancestors invincible. Every art of corruption would be employed to loosen the bond of union which renders our resistance formidable. When the spirit of liberty which now animates our hearts and gives success to our arms is extinct, our numbers will accelerate our ruin and render us easier victims to tyranny.” [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When peace and prosperity cause complacency, societies lose martial virtues and become vulnerable to corruption and tyranny. **In simple terms:** Peace can breed complacency and weaken resolve against oppression. Key Takeaway Guard liberty by valuing vigilance and martial spirit. Themes civic duty vigilance freedom corruption military readiness Mood reflective cautious determined Type political philosophical warning When to use this quote - political leadership - military training - public education - community vigilance Key Concepts Republicanism civic virtue social decay Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance peace with preparedness? - What practices keep civic virtue alive in prosperous times? A Different Perspective Complacency can also foster innovation and peace, reducing need for constant militarism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accelerate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accelerate/) [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Ancestor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestor/) [Ancestors Invincible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestors-invincible-1583372/) [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-war/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Descendants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/descendants/) [Descendants Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/descendants-forget-1583373/) [Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Employed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employed/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Formidable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formidable/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Invincible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invincible/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Tranquility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tranquility/) [Tranquility Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tranquility-wealth-1583374/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Zeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zeal/) ## Related quotes > [“Oh, may the Lord never let us, nor our descendants, forget what spiritual and material benefits we have received in this wilderness through Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-martin-boltzius/oh-may-the-lord-never-let-us-nor-our-descendants-forget-what/) [Johann Martin Boltzius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-martin-boltzius/) > [When you consider that a steelworker who's making $40,000 a year has virtually the same tax burden as someone who's making $400,000 a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/when-you-consider-that-a-steelworker-who-s-making-40-000-a-year-has/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/the-opportunity-ahead-for-microsoft-is-vast-but-to-seize-it-we-must/) [Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/) > [Were it possible so to accelerate the intercourse between every part of the globe that all its inhabitants could be united under the superintending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/were-it-possible-so-to-accelerate-the-intercourse-between-every-part/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/i-see-maradona-every-time-he-grabs-the-ball-and-accelerates/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [It was the Obama administration that cut a faux deal with the Iranians that will not disarm Iran of its nuclear capabilities, and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/it-was-the-obama-administration-that-cut-a-faux-deal-with-the/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [I really think that technology has the greatest potential to accelerate happiness of most things in the world. The companies that will ultimately do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-really-think-that-technology-has-the-greatest-potential-to/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [The Egyptian experience suggests that social media can greatly accelerate the death of already dying authoritarian regimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/the-egyptian-experience-suggests-that-social-media-can-greatly/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [As IT enters the mobile-cloud era, IT providers need to be more innovative about addressing customers' fast changing needs. Over the past two years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/as-it-enters-the-mobile-cloud-era-it-providers-need-to-be-more/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) > [Concentration of wealth yields concentration of political power. And concentration of political power gives rise to legislation that increases and accelerates the cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/concentration-of-wealth-yields-concentration-of-political-power-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Imagine we could accelerate continuously at 1 g-what we're comfortable with on good old terra firma-to the midpoint of our voyage, and decelerate continuously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/imagine-we-could-accelerate-continuously-at-1-g-what-we-re/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [An hour and thirty-one minutes after launch, my pressure altimeter halts at 103,300 feet. At ground control the radar altimeters also have stopped-on readings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kittinger/an-hour-and-thirty-one-minutes-after-launch-my-pressure-altimeter/) [Joseph Kittinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kittinger/) > [My final word, before I'm done, Is "Cancer can be rather fun"- Provided one confronts the tumour with a sufficient sense of humour. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/my-final-word-before-i-m-done-is-cancer-can-be-rather-fun-provided/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) [Victor J. Dzau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-dzau/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) ## More by Samuel Adams > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/crouch-down-and-lick-the-hands-which-feed-you-may-your-chains-sit/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Our contest is not only whether we ourselves shall be free, but whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/our-contest-is-not-only-whether-we-ourselves-shall-be-free-but/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [In the midst of these pleasing ideas we should be unfaithful to ourselves if we should ever lose sight of the danger to our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/in-the-midst-of-these-pleasing-ideas-we-should-be-unfaithful-to/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [It behooves every American to encourage home manufactures, that our oppressors may feel through their pockets the effects of their blind folly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/it-behooves-every-american-to-encourage-home-manufactures-that-our/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [All might be free if they valued freedom, and defended it as they should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/all-might-be-free-if-they-valued-freedom-and-defended-it-as-they/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life; second, to liberty; third, to property; together with the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/among-the-natural-rights-of-the-colonists-are-these-first-a-right-to/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Nil desperandum, -- Never Despair. That is a motto for you and me. All are not dead; and where there is a spark of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/nil-desperandum-never-despair-that-is-a-motto-for-you-and-me-all-are/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/if-ye-love-wealth-better-than-liberty-the-tranquility-of-servitude/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [It is not unfrequent to hear men declaim loudly upon liberty, who, if we may judge by the whole tenor of their actions, mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/it-is-not-unfrequent-to-hear-men-declaim-loudly-upon-liberty-who-if/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [Let us contemplate our forefathers, and posterity, and resolve to maintain the rights bequeathed to us from the former, for the sake of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/let-us-contemplate-our-forefathers-and-posterity-and-resolve-to/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [If we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our liberty, we encourage it, and involve others in our doom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/if-we-suffer-tamely-a-lawless-attack-upon-our-liberty-we-encourage-it/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I thank God that I have lived to see my country independent and free. She may long enjoy her independence and freedom if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/i-thank-god-that-i-have-lived-to-see-my-country-independent-and-free/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [If our Trade be taxed, why not our Lands, or Produce in short, everything we possess? They tax us without having legal representation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/if-our-trade-be-taxed-why-not-our-lands-or-produce-in-short/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [One battle would do more towards a Declaration of Independence than a long chain of conclusive arguments in a provincial convention or the Continental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/one-battle-would-do-more-towards-a-declaration-of-independence-than-a/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) [Explore all 129 Samuel Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) ## More Accelerate quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) [Victor J. Dzau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-dzau/) > [My final word, before I'm done, Is "Cancer can be rather fun"- Provided one confronts the tumour with a sufficient sense of humour. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-b-s-haldane/my-final-word-before-i-m-done-is-cancer-can-be-rather-fun-provided/) [John B. S. Haldane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-b-s-haldane/) > [An hour and thirty-one minutes after launch, my pressure altimeter halts at 103,300 feet. At ground control the radar altimeters also have stopped-on readings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kittinger/an-hour-and-thirty-one-minutes-after-launch-my-pressure-altimeter/) [Joseph Kittinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kittinger/) > [Imagine we could accelerate continuously at 1 g-what we're comfortable with on good old terra firma-to the midpoint of our voyage, and decelerate continuously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/imagine-we-could-accelerate-continuously-at-1-g-what-we-re/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Concentration of wealth yields concentration of political power. And concentration of political power gives rise to legislation that increases and accelerates the cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/concentration-of-wealth-yields-concentration-of-political-power-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [As IT enters the mobile-cloud era, IT providers need to be more innovative about addressing customers' fast changing needs. Over the past two years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasree-warrior/as-it-enters-the-mobile-cloud-era-it-providers-need-to-be-more/) [Padmasree Warrior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasree-warrior/) > [The Egyptian experience suggests that social media can greatly accelerate the death of already dying authoritarian regimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/the-egyptian-experience-suggests-that-social-media-can-greatly/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [I really think that technology has the greatest potential to accelerate happiness of most things in the world. The companies that will ultimately do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/i-really-think-that-technology-has-the-greatest-potential-to/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [It was the Obama administration that cut a faux deal with the Iranians that will not disarm Iran of its nuclear capabilities, and will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/it-was-the-obama-administration-that-cut-a-faux-deal-with-the/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [I see Maradona every time he grabs the ball and accelerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/i-see-maradona-every-time-he-grabs-the-ball-and-accelerates/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [Were it possible so to accelerate the intercourse between every part of the globe that all its inhabitants could be united under the superintending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/were-it-possible-so-to-accelerate-the-intercourse-between-every-part/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/the-opportunity-ahead-for-microsoft-is-vast-but-to-seize-it-we-must/) [Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/) > [When you consider that a steelworker who's making $40,000 a year has virtually the same tax burden as someone who's making $400,000 a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/when-you-consider-that-a-steelworker-who-s-making-40-000-a-year-has/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [When we deal in generalities, we shall never succeed. When we deal in specifics, we shall rarely have a failure. When performance is measured,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/when-we-deal-in-generalities-we-shall-never-succeed-when-we-deal-in/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) [Browse all 191 Accelerate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accelerate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In a state of tranquility, wealth, and luxury, our descendants would forget the arts of war and the noble activity and zeal which made their ancestors invincible. Every art of corruption would be employed to loosen the bond of union which renders our resistance formidable. 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