--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Social democrats are characteristically…" description: "\"Social democrats are characteristically modest - a political quality whose virtues are overestimated. We need to apologise a little less for our shortc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/tony-judt-1730_achievements_social-democrats-are-characteristically_451627.jpg" --- # Social democrats are characteristically modest - a… ![“Social democrats are characteristically modest - a political quality whose virtues are overestimated. We need to apologise a little less for our shortcomings and speak more assertively of achievements. That these were always incomplete should not trouble us.” quote by Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/tony-judt-1730_achievements_social-democrats-are-characteristically_451627.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/tony-judt-1730_achievements_social-democrats-are-characteristically_451627.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24b/tony-judt-1730_achievements_social-democrats-are-characteristically_451627.jpg) > “Social democrats are characteristically modest - a political quality whose virtues are overestimated. We need to apologise a little less for our shortcomings and speak more assertively of achievements. That these were always incomplete should not trouble us.” [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Social democrats tend to downplay their strengths, leading to underappreciated achievements. **In simple terms:** Modesty can hide real success. Key Takeaway Speak proudly of real. Themes humility politics self‑esteem Mood reflective determined Type political motivational When to use this quote - political speeches - campaigns - media interviews - policy debates Key Concepts social democracy public perception Questions to Reflect On - How can parties balance humility with confidence? - What achievements are being under‑communicated? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on modesty may alienate supporters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievements/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Shortcomings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortcomings/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/) ## Related quotes > [“somewhat different. Many European countries have long practiced something resembling social democracy: but they have forgotten how to preach it. Social democrats today are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/somewhat-different-many-european-countries-have-long-practiced/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“Socialism for social democrats, especially in Scandinavia, was a distributive concept. It was about making sure that wealth and assets were not disproportionately gathered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/socialism-for-social-democrats-especially-in-scandinavia-was-a/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [The old battle between Christian Democrats and Social Democrats is now meaningless, not least because the social structures that underlay those parties, the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-old-battle-between-christian-democrats-and-social-democrats-is/) [Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/) > [When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-niemoller/when-they-locked-up-the-social-democrats-i-remained-silent-i-was-not/) [Martin Niemoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-niemoller/) > [The Social Democrats have to listen to people who are attracted to the AfD party. 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It's all about money and it makes no difference if the Social Democrats or the moderates appoint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stieg-larsson/don-t-get-politics-mixed-up-in-this-it-s-all-about-money-and-it-makes/) [Stieg Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stieg-larsson/) > [The membership survey was a great moment for inner-party democracy. We can't go back, nor do we want to. Our members are pouring their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/the-membership-survey-was-a-great-moment-for-inner-party-democracy-we/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The effects of independence will no doubt go beyond the borders of Scotland. An independent Scotland where both main parties are progressive, social democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/humza-yousaf/the-effects-of-independence-will-no-doubt-go-beyond-the-borders-of/) [Humza Yousaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/humza-yousaf/) ## More by Tony Judt > [I don't believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in a single or multiple godhead. I respect people who do, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife-i-don-t-believe-in-a-single-or/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“Markets do not automatically generate trust, cooperation or collective action for the common good. Quite the contrary: it is in the nature of economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/markets-do-not-automatically-generate-trust-cooperation-or-collective/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“ Lieux de memoire . . . 'exist because there are no longer any milieux de memoire , settings in which memory is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/lieux-de-memoire-exist-because-there-are-no-longer-any-milieux-de/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“Keynes died in 1946, exhausted by his wartime efforts. But he had long since demonstrated that neither capitalism nor liberalism would survive very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/keynes-died-in-1946-exhausted-by-his-wartime-efforts-but-he-had-long/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [The Second World War had a precipitating effect in that it discredited the empires, as well as bankrupting them. 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It's because I've never felt comfortable being part of someone else's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-think-if-i-m-controversial-it-s-not-because-i-set-out-to-be-it-s/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“This reduction of 'society' to a thin membrane of interactions between private individuals is presented today as the ambition of libertarians and free marketeers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/this-reduction-of-society-to-a-thin-membrane-of-interactions-between/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“Something is profoundly wrong with the way we live today. 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The short answer is, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/what-did-trust-cooperation-progressive-taxation-and-the/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [Healthcare reform is a paradigmatic case. It is self-evidently necessary and inevitable and has been on the agenda for 35 years, and the political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/healthcare-reform-is-a-paradigmatic-case-it-is-self-evidently/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“Inequality is corrosive. It rots societies from within.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/inequality-is-corrosive-it-rots-societies-from-within/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) [Explore all 211 Tony Judt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) ## More Achievements quotes > [“Desires and wishes don’t lead to success. Plans and efforts do. Create a vision, chalk out an action plan, put in your best efforts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopleen/desires-and-wishes-don-t-lead-to-success-plans-and-efforts-do-create/) Roopleen > [One of the achievements of the reform movement is that people realize that they can be democrats and remain faithful Muslims. 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They look for every way to do the undone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-spend-time-reviewing-their-mistakes-rather-than-having/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A woman's professional achievements are always overlooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-garewal/a-woman-s-professional-achievements-are-always-overlooked/) [Simi Garewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-garewal/) > [I was able to turn to classical music many people, who saw my programs live and on YouTube, and this is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksey-igudesman/i-was-able-to-turn-to-classical-music-many-people-who-saw-my-programs/) [Aleksey Igudesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksey-igudesman/) > [Fame is like the dessert that comes with your achievements - it's not an achievement in itself, but sometimes it can overpower the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/fame-is-like-the-dessert-that-comes-with-your-achievements-it-s-not/) [Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/) > [“If this conviction had not been a strongly emotional one and if those searching for knowledge had not been inspired by Spinoza 's Amor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/if-this-conviction-had-not-been-a-strongly-emotional-one-and-if-those/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I love the success of my teammates more than my individual achievements. I've just always cared more about that since I started playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/i-love-the-success-of-my-teammates-more-than-my-individual/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [It's very confusing when fame comes early on in your career. You get a little bit bent out of shape in terms of what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton/it-s-very-confusing-when-fame-comes-early-on-in-your-career-you-get-a/) [Adam Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton/) > [“To have the wisdom is rarely achieved by seeking the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/to-have-the-wisdom-is-rarely-achieved-by-seeking-the-knowledge/) Will Advise > [It's not that I think weddings - or marriages - are letdowns. 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