Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) was an American actor and politician who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He is remembered for his Cold War diplomacy and his speeches, including the 1987 Berlin address.
5 quotes in this collection. Read them below, share your favourites, or follow the related links to explore similar voices.
All quotes by Ronald Reagan
-
“The price for this freedom at times has been high, but we have never been unwilling to pay that price.”
Meaning: From his First Inaugural Address on 20 January 1981, Reagan acknowledged the sacrifices behind American liberty. The lesson is that anything worth having costs something. Before pursuing a goal, say honestly what you are willing to give up for it, and accept it. -
“Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
Meaning: In the same 1967 address, Reagan warned that freedom is not inherited automatically; each generation must understand and defend it. Apply it by teaching it: talk with a younger person about why a right matters, or take part in a local civic process yourself. -
“Those who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.”
Meaning: Reagan said this in his 1967 California gubernatorial inauguration speech to stress that liberty is hard to recover once surrendered. It is a prompt to guard small freedoms early. Notice which of your choices, privacy or time you give away casually, and decide what to keep. -
“Freedom is the right to question and change the established way of doing things.”
Meaning: Speaking to students at Moscow State University in 1988, Reagan defined freedom not as comfort but as permission to challenge habits and institutions. In daily life, that means asking why a rule or routine exists, and proposing a better one at work or in your community. -
“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
Meaning: Reagan spoke these words at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin on 12 June 1987, challenging the Soviet leader to open the barrier dividing the city. It shows how a direct, public demand can shift what seems possible. Name the one thing you are tolerating that you could openly ask to change.