--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Creating a new country from scratch has…" description: "\"Creating a new country from scratch has given Estonia the license to imagine what a country could be.\" — Taavet Hinrikus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/taavet-hinrikus-9070_could_creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has_2481069.jpg" --- # Creating a new country from scratch has given Estonia the… ![“Creating a new country from scratch has given Estonia the license to imagine what a country could be.” quote by Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/taavet-hinrikus-9070_could_creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has_2481069.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/taavet-hinrikus-9070_could_creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has_2481069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/taavet-hinrikus-9070_could_creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has_2481069.jpg) > “Creating a new country from scratch has given Estonia the license to imagine what a country could be.” [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Estonia built a modern state by embracing digital innovation, showing that a country can be redesigned from the ground up. **In simple terms:** Estonia used technology to reinvent its government and society. Key Takeaway Leverage digital tools to reshape institutions. Themes innovation governance digital transformation nation building Mood optimistic forward‑looking Type inspirational policy. When to use this quote - startup ecosystem - public services - education reform - foreign investment Key Concepts e‑government blockchain citizen empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can other nations adopt Estonia’s digital model? - What risks arise from rapid tech adoption? A Different Perspective Challenges include cultural resistance and infrastructure costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Estonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/estonia/) [Estonia License](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/estonia-license-863658/) [Given Estonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-estonia-863659/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-country-863660/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-country/) [Scratch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scratch/) ## Related quotes > [I want to imagine a country where people's wages reflect their hard work, where we have healthcare for everyone, and where every child gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-want-to-imagine-a-country-where-people-s-wages-reflect-their-hard/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Think of a country where people were admired for running away in battle, or where a man felt proud of double-crossing all the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/think-of-a-country-where-people-were-admired-for-running-away-in/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I cannot imagine our country not having the right to economic boycott.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-tlaib/i-cannot-imagine-our-country-not-having-the-right-to-economic-boycott/) [Rashida Tlaib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-tlaib/) > [I can't imagine what this place would be - I can't imagine what the country would be - with Donald Trump as our president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/i-can-t-imagine-what-this-place-would-be-i-can-t-imagine-what-the/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [For Estonia, joining Europe meant our potential as a country increased - not decreased - because of that connectedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/for-estonia-joining-europe-meant-our-potential-as-a-country-increased/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [I was in my early 20s when Estonia joined the E.U. For a kid who'd grown up in the Soviet Union, it seemed like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/i-was-in-my-early-20s-when-estonia-joined-the-e-u-for-a-kid-who-d/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [You know that Estonia, based largely on how successful Skype was, built by Estonian developers, that was a tenth of the entire country's GDP…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/you-know-that-estonia-based-largely-on-how-successful-skype-was-built/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I am not always happy with the compliments Estonia has received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-meri/i-am-not-always-happy-with-the-compliments-estonia-has-received/) [Lennart Meri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennart-meri/) > [No well-run yacht basin in Southern waters is complete without at least two sun-burned, salt bleached-headed Esthonians who are waiting for a check from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-well-run-yacht-basin-in-southern-waters-is-complete-without-at/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [My name is Mart Laar. I have been twice Prime Minister of Estonia, and I'm not an economist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mart-laar/my-name-is-mart-laar-i-have-been-twice-prime-minister-of-estonia-and/) [Mart Laar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mart-laar/) > [I hope one day when I say I'm from Estonia, people don't say: 'What? Where's that?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-kass/i-hope-one-day-when-i-say-i-m-from-estonia-people-don-t-say-what/) [Carmen Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-kass/) > [People have actually figured out that Estonia is one of the few post-Communist countries that has a genuine image in people's minds as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/people-have-actually-figured-out-that-estonia-is-one-of-the-few-post/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [I was in Estonia when a professor asked me if I was aware that making any criticism of the Red Army during the war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-beevor/i-was-in-estonia-when-a-professor-asked-me-if-i-was-aware-that-making/) [Antony Beevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-beevor/) > [I'm not afraid of code. I mean, I understand how these things work. I thought that that was the one area where Estonia was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/i-m-not-afraid-of-code-i-mean-i-understand-how-these-things-work-i/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [“It would be easier to get a computer to cry than to get Estonians to share their innermost feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lembit-pik/it-would-be-easier-to-get-a-computer-to-cry-than-to-get-estonians-to/) [Lembit Öpik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lembit-pik/) ## More by Taavet Hinrikus > [When a new hire is afraid to roll up their sleeves and get things done, it's a clear sign it's not going to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/when-a-new-hire-is-afraid-to-roll-up-their-sleeves-and-get-things/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [There are so many instances in banking where 'free' simply doesn't mean free, whether it's opaque overdraft charges or credit card providers that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/there-are-so-many-instances-in-banking-where-free-simply-doesn-t-mean/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. I don't believe it when people tell me they've been working 80-hour weeks for five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/building-a-business-is-a-marathon-not-a-sprint-i-don-t-believe-it/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [In 2011, when we launched TransferWise, it was our frustration with banks not giving us what we wanted or needed as customers. The motivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/in-2011-when-we-launched-transferwise-it-was-our-frustration-with/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Scaling a business at speed can feel like an out of control roller-coaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/scaling-a-business-at-speed-can-feel-like-an-out-of-control-roller/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [The financial crisis of 2008 created a seismic shift in the dynamics of trust in financial services. FinTech would have happened without the global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/the-financial-crisis-of-2008-created-a-seismic-shift-in-the-dynamics/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Costs should always be presented up front so that consumers can make informed choices and get a fairer deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/costs-should-always-be-presented-up-front-so-that-consumers-can-make/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Securing and attracting the best talent is an obsession in the tech industry for good reason. It's your main asset; it's your edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/securing-and-attracting-the-best-talent-is-an-obsession-in-the-tech/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Historically, people have flocked to Silicon Valley because of the belief that that's where the latest innovation is happening. It's a snowball effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/historically-people-have-flocked-to-silicon-valley-because-of-the/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Sometimes, companies are better placed than politicians and governments to make change happen. That doesn't mean that they should not be held to account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/sometimes-companies-are-better-placed-than-politicians-and/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [A preoccupation with job title is an immediate giveaway that someone's priorities are not in line with the company's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/a-preoccupation-with-job-title-is-an-immediate-giveaway-that-someone/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [The growth of FinTech has been driven by adoption across age groups, but the demand from the millennial generation to innovate and think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/the-growth-of-fintech-has-been-driven-by-adoption-across-age-groups/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [As consumers in general, and with Millennials in particular, we're getting used to everything being cheaper, faster, better - and banks aren't keeping up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/as-consumers-in-general-and-with-millennials-in-particular-we-re/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [There's always been a lot of interest in the tech community about how to foster innovation and creativity - both within a company but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/there-s-always-been-a-lot-of-interest-in-the-tech-community-about-how/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Traditional consumer finance has been unfair for decades. Banks have had a monopoly on financial services and have been able to overcharge and underserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/traditional-consumer-finance-has-been-unfair-for-decades-banks-have/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) [Explore all 75 Taavet Hinrikus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) ## More Could quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [What a gift it would be if every child in the country could hear a professional orchestra at least once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/what-a-gift-it-would-be-if-every-child-in-the-country-could-hear-a/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [If my wisdom could get support from officials, I think society would move forward 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-guangbiao/if-my-wisdom-could-get-support-from-officials-i-think-society-would/) [Chen Guangbiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-guangbiao/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [One of the mistakes I made was thinking chickens and penguins could sing, just like all the other animals in the 'Muppets.' But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-mckenzie/one-of-the-mistakes-i-made-was-thinking-chickens-and-penguins-could/) [Bret McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-mckenzie/) > [I liked climbing trees and could often be found up one reading a book. I played games with Dad and drew maps for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-liked-climbing-trees-and-could-often-be-found-up-one-reading-a-book/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [I studied philosophy and ended on sociology. For some reason, all the advanced courses in philosophy were offered 4:30 to 6:30, so I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jackson/i-studied-philosophy-and-ended-on-sociology-for-some-reason-all-the/) [Lawrence Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jackson/) [Browse all 8,032 Could quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Creating a new country from scratch has given Estonia the license to imagine what a country could be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Taavet Hinrikus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has-given-estonia-the-license-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Could" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has-given-estonia-the-license-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/taavet-hinrikus-9070_could_creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has_2481069.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/taavet-hinrikus-9070_could_creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has_2481069.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/203/taavet-hinrikus-9070_could_creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has_2481069.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Creating a new country from scratch has given Estonia the license to imagine what a country could be.” — Taavet Hinrikus", "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": "Taavet Hinrikus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Creating a new country from scratch...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has-given-estonia-the-license-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/creating-a-new-country-from-scratch-has-given-estonia-the-license-to/#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 } } ] } ```