The lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me, show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a spiritual disintegration fundamentally destructive to the national fiber. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to the dictates of a sound policy. It is in violation of the traditions of America.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Categorized in : Spiritual Moral Fiber Welfare Programs

We are a nation of many nationalities, many races, many religions-bound together by a single unity, the unity of freedom and equality. Whoever seeks to set one nationality against another, seeks to degrade all nationalities.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

drug race war

The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerated the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism: ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

freedom essence power

People acting together as a group can accomplish things which no individual acting alone could ever hope to bring about.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

acting wrestling people

The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

economic-inequality money history

We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the American Eagle in order to feather their own nests.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

selfish eagles men

Do Something.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

ifs action

Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and Senators and Congressmen and Government officials but the voters of this country.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

patriotic witty country

Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

respect kindness character

Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

xenophobia usa patriotic

Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

truth integrity peace

Never underestimate a man who overestimates himself.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

vanity underestimate men

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

success motivational inspirational

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

bullying leadership inspirational

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt

winning men long

We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace - business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me - and I welcome their hatred.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

hate struggle war

No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country... By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level - I mean the wages of decent living.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

labor-day mean country

In our democracy officers of the government are the servants, and never the masters of the people.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

government hypocrisy people

Freedom of conscience, of education, of speech, of assembly are among the very fundamentals of democracy and all of them would be nullified should freedom of the press ever be successfully challenged.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

freedom-of-speech presidential democracy

True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

freedom jobs people

In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

politics political war