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Great Nations Quotes

On power and global influence

These quotes question how Diplomacy between great nations actually works, especially when smaller nations are caught in between.

The great nations have always acted like gangsters, and the small nations like prostitutes.

Quotes by Stanley Kubrick

Keeping small nations enslaved because of the deals between the great nations or because of any pragmatic considerations that might have been there are totally unacceptable.

Quotes by Mikheil Saakashvili

Surely, God on high has not refused to give us enough wisdom to find ways to bring us an improvement in relations between the two great nations on earth.

Quotes by Mikhail Gorbachev

We say arts education is good for general education, but that's not the point. The arts are what great nations are remembered for. They are a mirror.

Quotes by Damian Woetzel

Culture Quotes

Nations, great nations have limitations. All nations have limitations. Even great powers have limitations.

Quotes by Chuck Hagel

It is possible for great nations to rot from within.

Quotes by Benjamin Wittes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do these quotes describe the relationship between great nations and smaller ones?
One quote is critical, saying small nations are often kept enslaved through deals struck between great nations, or through pragmatic considerations, calling such arrangements totally unacceptable.
Is there hope expressed for better relations between powerful nations?
Yes, one quote hopes that wisdom can be found to improve relations between two great nations, suggesting that even long-standing tension between major powers isn't necessarily permanent.
What harsh comparison is made about how great nations sometimes behave?
One quote bluntly compares great nations to gangsters in how they treat smaller nations, a sharp metaphor criticizing exploitative behavior in international relations rather than endorsing it.
Why are the arts mentioned in connection with what makes a nation 'great'?
One quote argues that while arts education supports general learning, its deeper value is that great nations are ultimately remembered for their arts, treating Culture as a lasting mirror of national identity.
Do these quotes measure greatness mainly by power or by legacy?
Both are present, but the arts-focused quote pushes toward legacy over raw power, suggesting that how a nation is remembered in History may matter more than its immediate influence or dominance.

Lasting Influence isn't only military or economic either; one quote argues the arts are what great nations are ultimately remembered for.