“I think that people want peace so much that one of these days government had better get out of their way and let them have it.”
- October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969
- American
- The 34th President of the United States, General, Military Leader
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Quote
“I think that people want peace so much that one of these days government had better get out of their way and let them have it.”
Explanation
In this quote, Eisenhower expresses a profound belief in the people’s innate desire for peace, while offering a pointed critique of governments that obstruct or delay that aspiration through politics, bureaucracy, or the pursuit of power. He suggests that the public’s yearning for peace is deeper and more authentic than the agendas of their leaders, and that eventually, governments may need to yield to the collective will of the people.
The historical context is rooted in the Cold War era, a time when tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union kept the world on edge with the threat of nuclear war. As a military general and president, Eisenhower understood the realities of global power, but he also recognized the disconnect between political decision-making and the ordinary person’s desire for safety, stability, and peace. His quote reflects frustration with the slow pace of disarmament and diplomacy, and a call for governments to listen more closely to the people they serve.
Today, the quote remains strikingly relevant in a world still grappling with armed conflicts, defense spending, and global peace efforts. It reminds us that peace is often not a matter of ideology or strategy—but of human will, and that true leadership listens to that will rather than resists it. Eisenhower’s words stand as a timeless affirmation that peace is not only possible—it is what most people already desire.
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