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Woodrow Wilson Quotes

28th U.S. President

Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, known for his foreign policy during World War I and his efforts at the Paris Peace Conference. He advocated for the New Freedom policy and had a deep academic background in history, politics, and economics.

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Famous Woodrow Wilson Quotes

“The example of America must be the example not merely of peace because it will not fight, but of peace because peace is the healing and elevating influence of the world, and strife is not. There is such a thing as a man being too proud to fight. There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right.”

Men World Needs Doe America Fighting Force Nations Peace Healing Influence Example Proud Convince Strife Elevating

Author:Woodrow Wilson

“No peace can last, or ought to last, which does not recognize and accept the principle that governments derive all their just powers from the consent of the governed, and that no right anywhere exists to hand peoples from sovereignty to sovereignty as if they were property.”

Ifs Doe Hands Government Lasts Accepting Principles Ought Property Consent Sovereignty Consent Of The Governed

Book:Woodrow Wilson: Essential Writings and Speeches of the Scholar-president

Source: Woodrow Wilson: Essential Writings and Speeches of the Scholar-president

“Today, supremely, it behooves us to remember that a nation shall be saved by the power that sleeps in its own bosom; or by none; shall be renewed in hope, in confidence, in strength by waters welling up from its own sweet, perennial springs. Not from above; not by patronage of its aristocrats. The flower does not bear the root, but the root the flower.”

Doe Today Remember Nations Water Freedom Sleep Democracy Sweet Flower Bears Spring Roots Saved Bosoms Patronage

Author:Woodrow Wilson

“Leadership does not always wear the harness of compromise. Once and again one of those great influences which we call a Cause arises in the midst of a nation. Men of strenuous minds and high ideals come forward.... The attacks they sustain are more cruel than the collision of arms.... Friends desert and despise them.... They stand alone and oftentimes are made bitter by their isolation.... They are doing nothing less than defy public opinion, and shall they convert it by blows. Yes.”

“Such a mind we must desire to see in a woman,--a mind that stirs without irritating you, that arouses but does not belabour, amuses and yet subtly instructs.”

Mind Doe Desire Women Irritating

Author:Woodrow Wilson

“Benevolence does not consist in those who are prosperous pitying and helping those who are not. It consists in fellow feeling that puts you upon actually the same level with the fellow who suffers.”

Doe Helping Feelings Suffering Levels Fellows Prosperous Benevolence Fellow Feeling

Book:A crossroads of freedom, the 1912 campaign speeches

Source: A crossroads of freedom, the 1912 campaign speeches

“The only way your powers can become great is by exerting them outside the circle of your own narrow, special, selfish interests. And that is the reason of Christianity. Christ came into the world to save others, not to save himself; and no man is a true Christian who does not think constantly of how he can lift his brother, how he can assist his friend, how he can enlighten mankind, how he can make virtue the rule of conduct in the circle in which he lives.”

Source: Selected Addresses and Public Papers of Woodrow Wilson

“The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not to frighten them, but to challenge them.”

Men Doe Use Challenges Overcoming Bravery Adversity Brave Obstacles Scary Brave Man

Book:The Public Papers of Woodrow Wilson: The new democracy; presidential messages, addresses, and other papers (1913-1917)

Source: The Public Papers of Woodrow Wilson: The new democracy; presidential messages, addresses, and other papers (1913-1917)

“By 'radical,' I understand one who goes too far; by 'conservative,' one who does not go far enough; by 'reactionary,' one who won't go at all.”

Doe Enough Political Politics Conservative Radical Reactionaries Radicalism

Book:Wit and Wisdom of Woodrow Wilson: Extracts from the Public Speeches of the Leader and Interpreter of American Democracy, with Masterpieces of Eloquence

Source: Wit and Wisdom of Woodrow Wilson: Extracts from the Public Speeches of the Leader and Interpreter of American Democracy, with Masterpieces of Eloquence

“That a peasant may become king does not render the kingdom democratic.”

May Doe Democracy Kings Election Democratic Kingdoms Cynical Peasants

Book:The papers of Woodrow Wilson

Source: The papers of Woodrow Wilson

“Interest does not tie nations together; it sometimes separates them. But sympathy and understanding does unite them.”

Doe Sometimes Together Nations Understanding Interest Ties Sympathy

Book:President Wilson's Addresses

Source: President Wilson's Addresses

“Neutrality is a negative word. It is a word that does not express what America ought to feel. America has a heart, and that heart throbs with all sorts of intense sympathies... We are not trying to keep out of trouble; we are trying to preserve the foundations upon which peace can be rebuilt.”

Feels Trying May Doe America Peace Trouble Ought Negative Foundation Preserves Neutrality Negative Words

Author:Woodrow Wilson

“A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about.”