25 Famous Calvin Coolidge Quotes
Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) was the 30th U.S. President (1923-1929), a Republican known as “Silent Cal” for his taciturn nature and small-government conservatism, who rose from Vermont roots and Massachusetts politics to restore integrity after Harding’s scandals, presiding over the prosperous “Roaring Twenties” with pro-business policies before retiring quietly. He attended Amherst College, became a lawyer, and climbed the political ladder through Massachusetts state offices, gaining fame for handling the Boston Police Strike before becoming VP and then President after Harding’s death.
- “Unless the people, through unified action, arise and take charge of their government, they will find that their government has taken charge of them. Independence and liberty will be gone, and the general public will find itself in a condition of servitude to an aggregation of organized and selfish interest.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Restricted immigration is not an offensive but purely a defensive action. It is not adopted in criticism of others in the slightest degree, but solely for the purpose of protecting ourselves. We cast no aspersions on any race or creed, but we must remember that every object of our institutions of society and government will fail unless America be kept American.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Your ability to face setbacks and disappointments without giving up will be the measure of your ability to succeed.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Silence can never be misquoted.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “You can’t know too much, but you can say too much.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Wherever despotism abounds, the sources of public information are the first to be brought under its control.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “You can’t increase prosperity by taxing success.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “A government which lays taxes on the people not required by urgent public necessity and sound public policy is not a protector of liberty, but an instrument of tyranny. It condemns the citizen to servitude.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “The things I never say never get me into trouble.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no one independence quite so important, as living within your means.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Liberty is not collective, it is personal. All liberty is individual liberty.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “We do not need more material development, we need more spiritual development. We do not need more intellectual power, we need more moral power. We do not need more knowledge, we need more character. We do not need more government, we need more culture. We do not need more law, we need more religion. We do not need more of the things that are seen, we need more of the things that are unseen. It is on that side of life that it is desirable to put the emphasis at the present time. If that side be strengthened, the other side will take care of itself.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Doubters do not achieve; skeptics do not contribute; cynics do not create.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “What we need is not more Federal government, but better local government.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “In life there is nothing more common than talent and intelligence. What is missing is passion, persistence, commitment, and dedication.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “Nothing is easier than spending public money. It does not appear to belong to anybody. The temptation is overwhelming to bestow it on somebody.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “If the Government gets into business on any large scale, we soon find that the beneficiaries attempt to play a large part in the control. While in theory it is to serve the public, in practice it will be very largely serving private interests. It comes to be regarded as a species of government favor and those who are the most adroit get the larger part of it.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “There have been great men with little of what we call education. There have been many small men with a great deal of learning. There has never been a great people who did not possess great learning.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “If American democracy is to remain the greatest hope of humanity, it must continue abundantly in the faith of the Bible” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “It is hard to see how a great man can be an atheist. Without the sustaining influence of faith in a divine power we could have little faith in ourselves. We need to feel that behind us is intelligence and love. Doubters do not achieve; skeptics do not contribute; cynics do not create. Faith is the great motive power, and no man realizes his full possibilities unless he has the deep conviction that life is eternally important, and that his work, well done, is a part of an unending plan.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
- “I have noticed that nothing I never said ever did me any harm.” ~ Calvin Coolidge
