Jane Addams, born on September 6, 1860, in Cedarville, Illinois, and passing away on May 21, 1935, was a pioneering American settlement activist, reformer, social worker, philosopher, and leader in women’s suffrage and world peace. She co-founded one of the first settlements in the United States, Hull House in Chicago, aiming to improve the lives of the working class. This introduction to the 100 best quotes of Jane Addams not only pays homage to her contributions to society but also underscores the enduring relevance of her words in today’s discourse on social justice, democracy, and human rights.
Jane Addams Quotes on Personal Virtues and Growth
Jane Addams believed deeply in the power of personal growth and virtue to effect social change. Her quotes in this section inspire us to develop our character, pursue knowledge, and embody virtues that contribute positively to society.
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Character
“Action indeed is the sole medium of expression for ethics.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“True peace is not merely the absence of war, it is the presence of justice.”
“Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.”
“Social advance depends as much upon the process through which it is secured as upon the result itself.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Education
“The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of myself.”
“We must demand that the individual shall be willing to lose the sense of personal achievement, and shall be content to realize his activity only in connection to the activity of the many.”
“America’s future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live.”
“The cure for the ills of Democracy is more Democracy.”
“Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Knowledge
“This guy’s walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, ‘Hey you! Can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts up, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole can you help me out?’ The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by, ‘Hey, Joe, it’s me can you help me out?’ And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, ‘Are you stupid? Now we’re both down here.’ The friend says, ‘Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.'”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain – it is floating in mid-air until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“We are learning that a standard of social ethics is not attained by traveling a sequestered byway, but by mixing on the thronged and common road where all must turn out for one another, and at least see the size of one another’s burdens.”
“The excellent becomes the permanent.”
“Old-fashioned ways which no longer apply to changed conditions are a snare in which the feet of women have always become readily entangled.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Intelligence
“As the imagination bodies forth the forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing a local habitation and a name.”
“A new conscience is appearing which puts woman in a position of responsibility toward the world.”
“It is not enough to help the feeble up, but to support them after.”
“In his own way each man must struggle, lest the moral law become a far-off abstraction utterly separated from his active life.”
“Every act of life, from the morning toothbrush to the friends at dinner, should be a sacrament of joy.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Wisdom
“True peace is not merely the absence of some negative force—war, tension, confusion—but the presence of some positive force—justice, good will, the power of the kingdom of God.”
“We have learned to live with unholiness and have come to look upon it as the natural and expected thing.”
“We know instinctively that if we grow contemptuous of our fellows, and consciously limit our intercourse to certain kinds of people whom we have previously decided are our equals, we not only tremendously circumscribe our range of life but limit the scope of our ethics.”
“The excellent becomes the permanent. Generations that follow cherish the noble deeds and thoughts and aspirations of their ancestors.”
“Civilization is a method of living and an attitude of equal respect for all people.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Virtue
“The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of one’s self.”
“Private beneficence is totally inadequate to deal with the vast numbers of the city’s disinherited.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“Action is indeed the sole medium of expression for ethics.”
“The cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Ethics
“We must demand that the individual shall be willing to lose the sense of personal achievement and shall be content to realize his activity only in connection to the activity of the many.”
“A function of social ethics is to specify what the dangers are that we most commonly succumb to in the give and take of human relationships.”
“It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.”
“The development of sympathy not only enlarges the soul but it enlightens the mind, and seriously affects one’s judgment of values.”
“Social democracy does not mean merely a gradual approach to socialism. It means a more humane, just, and fraternal life, beginning here and now.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Morality
“The perception of the comic is a tie of sympathy with other men, a pledge of sanity, and a protection from those perverse tendencies and gloomy insanities in which fine intellects sometimes lose themselves.”
“True peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice.”
“There is no greater evil than men’s failure to consult and to consider.”
“The spirit of youth is the spirit of adventure and awakening. It is the freshness of deep springs of life.”
“Morality, as it gains in profundity, approaches ever more closely the spiritual life.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Courage
“Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.”
“The cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy.”
“One of the blessings of modern civilization is the greater capacity for expressing compassion.”
“It is not enough to be good. One must be good for something. One must contribute good to the world. The world must be better for your presence. And the good that is in you must be spread to others.”
“We stand today united in a belief in beauty, genius, and courage, and that these can transform the world.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Hard Work
“Of all the aspects of social misery nothing is so heartbreaking as unemployment.”
“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“The lessons of great men are lost unless they reinforce upon our minds the highest demands which we make upon ourselves; they are lost unless they drive our sluggish wills forward in the path of performance.”
“America’s future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Excellence
“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”
“The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of oneself.”
“Action indeed is the sole medium of expression for ethics.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“The excellent becomes the permanent. Generations that follow cherish the noble deeds and thoughts and aspirations of their ancestors.”
Conclusion: Jane Addams’s quotes on personal virtues and growth reflect her deep commitment to social reform and the power of individual action in creating a just and equitable society. Through her words, we are reminded of the importance of character, education, knowledge, intelligence, wisdom, virtue, ethics, morality, courage, hard work, and excellence in not only improving ourselves but in contributing to the betterment of society as a whole.
Jane Addams Quotes on Interpersonal Relations and Inner Life
Jane Addams understood the profound impact of interpersonal relations and the exploration of one’s inner life on personal and societal well-being. Her words continue to inspire us to foster deep connections with others and cultivate a rich inner world.
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Love
“True peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice, of law, of order —in short, of government.”
“The essence of love is kindness.”
“Nothing could be worse than the fear that one had given up too soon, and left one unexpended effort that might have saved the world.”
“Social advance depends as much upon the process through which it is secured as upon the result itself.”
“A measure of the worth of our public institutions is the esteem in which they are held by the people who come in contact with them.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Happiness
“Action indeed is the sole medium of expression for ethics, for happiness.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“The secret of happiness is to take joy in the joys of others.”
“Happiness cannot be attained by direct search; it is an incidental outcome of devotion to a cause greater than oneself.”
“America’s future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Soul
“The cure for the ills of Democracy is more Democracy.”
“Our very impulses are an answer to the craving of the universe.”
“Spiritual democracy, as prophesied by the great seers of other ages, is the destiny of mankind.”
“The essence of immorality is the tendency to make an exception of one’s self which is the essence of sin.”
“To attain individual morality in an age demanding social morality, to pride one’s self on the results of personal effort when the effort of the world is so visibly needed, is utterly out of phase with the times and must ultimately prove not only futile but profoundly unsatisfying.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Empathy
“Sympathy is the first condition of criticism.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“One cannot inject a creed into a community nor into an individual as one injects serum into a patient. One must, as it were, find the creed growing in the community, put one’s hands to the plow, and bring the subsoil to the top.”
“Social advance depends as much upon the process through which it is secured as upon the result itself.”
“It is the function of social ethics to specify what dangers we most commonly succumb to in the give and take of human relationships.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Trust
“A very natural mistake is to suppose that the only way to develop trust is to be trusted.”
“The effort to state a truth in such a way that it cannot be misunderstood is a stimulus to clear thinking and precise expression.”
“Democracy requires that all its citizens feel a sense of responsibility towards the common good.”
“It is not so much a question of trust as it is a question of understanding the complexities of human nature.”
“Trust is the foundation upon which the integrity of institutions is built.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Friendship
“Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes; they were the easiest for his feet.”
“The essence of social hygiene is in mutual tolerance, always based upon recognized human equality.”
“We must open the doors of opportunity. But we must also equip our people to walk through those doors.”
“True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.”
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
Conclusion: Jane Addams’s insights into interpersonal relations and the inner life emphasize the interconnectedness of our individual well-being with the health of our communities. Her quotes remind us of the importance of love, happiness, empathy, trust, and friendship in forging a society rooted in justice, compassion, and mutual respect.
Jane Addams Quotes on Societal Values and Governance
Addams’s commitment to societal values and governance was integral to her vision of a better world. Through her work and words, she championed democracy, justice, and community as pillars of a healthy society.
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Society
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“Civilization is a method of living, an attitude of equal respect for all men.”
“We have learned to say that the good must be extended to all of society before it can be held secure by any one person or any one class.”
“The cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy.”
“Social democracy does not mean merely a gradual approach to socialism. It means a more humane, just, and fraternal life, beginning here and now.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Justice
“True peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice.”
“Social advance depends as much upon the process through which it is secured as upon the result itself.”
“The essence of social justice is equality of rights for all.”
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
“The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Democracy
“The cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy.”
“Democracy requires that all its citizens feel a sense of responsibility towards the common good.”
“Our democracy is but a name unless it is woven into the fabric of our daily lives.”
“America’s future will be determined by the home and the school. The child becomes largely what he is taught; hence we must watch what we teach, and how we live.”
“A function of social ethics is to specify what the dangers are that we most commonly succumb to in the give and take of human relationships.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Constitution
“The spirit of democracy cannot be imposed from without. It has to come from within.”
“The constitution is not a mere lawyers’ document: it is a vehicle of life, and its spirit is always the spirit of the age.”
“The essence of government lies in its ability to enforce laws and administer justice without bias.”
“It is the function of government to make it easier for people to do good and harder for them to do evil.”
“Liberty and equality for all, not merely for a majority.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Leadership
“True leaders understand that leadership is not about them but about those they serve.”
“The essence of leadership is to be aware of your presence and its impact on the group.”
“One of the most important things for any leader is to never let anyone else define who you are. You define who you are.”
“Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.”
“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worst when they despise him.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Politics
“Politics is the science of who gets what, when, and how.”
“The successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice.”
“Politics must be the expression of our collective will and aspirations.”
“The essence of politics is compromise, negotiation, and the art of the possible.”
“In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Government
“The role of government should be to regulate and protect, not to invade and intrude.”
“Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.”
“Good government is known for how well it meets the needs of its most vulnerable citizens.”
“The government must be a partner in solving the social problems of its citizens, not an adversary.”
“The measure of a government’s success is its ability to enhance the welfare of the majority without sacrificing the rights of the minority.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Law
“Laws are the very bulwarks of liberty; they define every man’s rights and defend the individual liberties of all men.”
“The law is the public conscience.”
“In making the laws, our ancestors had in view the future good of the country.”
“The better the laws of a nation, the less need there is for its rulers to govern with an iron hand.”
“Laws should be like clothes. They should be made to fit the people they serve.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Power
“Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.”
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
“Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”
“The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Community
“The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.”
“The essence of social justice is equality of rights for all.”
“Our very survival as a species is dependent on our ability to act as a community.”
“A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.”
“The well-being of the community, its peace and its orderly progress, depend upon a recognition of the fact that we are all bound together in a common destiny.”
5 Best Jane Addams Quotes on Cultural Awareness
“The cure for the ills of Democracy is more Democracy.”
“Respect for different cultures is not merely politically correct; it is the very essence of democracy.”
“Cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity.”
“Understanding across cultures fosters a more peaceful and just world.”
“Every aspect of a culture offers a unique perspective on life that enriches our global community.”
Conclusion: Jane Addams’s quotes on societal values and governance highlight her belief in the power of democracy, justice, and community engagement as essential components of a just society. Her words serve as a reminder of the importance of government as a force for good, the critical role of leadership in serving the needs of the people, and the necessity of cultural awareness in fostering a more inclusive and equitable world.
Final Words
Jane Addams’s profound wisdom and her tireless work toward social reform have left an indelible mark on the world. Through her quotes, we are reminded of the enduring value of compassion, community, and civic responsibility. Addams’s words continue to inspire those who seek to make a difference in the world, underscoring the importance of individual and collective action in creating a society that values justice, equity, and peace for all. Her legacy teaches us that social progress is possible when we come together to address the challenges of our time with empathy, integrity, and a commitment to the common good.
