This statement challenges a narrow view of societal advancement, arguing that true progress isn't measured by enriching the already wealthy. Instead, it implies that genuine improvement should be judged by how well a society cares for its most vulnerable, ensuring widespread prosperity and justice.
Quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt: “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much.”
The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much.
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Historical Context
From his Second Inaugural Address, where he reiterated his commitment to the New Deal and social justice. The nation was still recovering from the Great Depression, and Roosevelt emphasized the need to uplift the poor and marginalized.
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American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As a leader of the Democratic Party, he built the New Deal Coalition, which defined modern liberalism in the U.S. throughout the middle third of the 20th century.
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