Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933,) fully John Calvin Coolidge, was an American Republican statesman who served as the 13th U.S. president 1923–29. His administration is remembered mainly for establishing minimal government interference in business and commerce, summarized by his expression, “the business of America is business.” Although he presided over a decade of unparalleled growth, his term has become emblematic of the self-satisfied conservatism that helped precipitate the Great Depression.
Born in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, Coolidge first practiced law in Northampton, Massachusetts. He entered state politics as a Republican, was mayor of Northampton (1910–11,) state senator (1912–15,) state lieutenant governor (1919–21,) and governor (1919–20.) He gained national celebrity through a tough stand against a Boston police strike in 1919.
Elected vice president with Warren G. Harding, he succeeded to the presidency after Harding’s death (1923) and easily won a full term in 1924. Pro-business policies marked Coolidge’s administration. He committed to reducing income taxes and the national debt and was noted for his guiding principle of non-interference in foreign affairs, which culminated in the signing of the multilateral Kellogg-Briand Treaty of 1928. His policies encouraged the reckless stock market speculation of the late 1920s.
Coolidge announced his decision not to stand for re-election in 1928 with a terse announcement that has since become a catchphrase: “I do not choose to run.” He spent the later years of his life writing his Autobiography (1929) and contributing articles to newspapers and magazines.
Coolidge destroyed most of his private papers and remains enigmatic in essential ways. Although highly popular, he is known as a reserved and distant man.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Calvin Coolidge
There is no force so democratic as the force of an ideal.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Ideals, Idealism
Our doctrine of equality and liberty and humanity comes from our belief in the brotherhood of man, through the fatherhood of God.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Humanity
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
Topics: Faith
My own participation in the campaign was delayed by the death of my son Calvin, which occurred on the seventh of July. He was a boy of much promise, proficient in his studies, with a scholarly mind, who had just turned sixteen.
He had a remarkable insight into things.
The day I became President he had just started to work in a tobacco field. When one of his fellow laborers said to him, if my father was President I would not work in a tobacco field, Calvin replied, If my father were your father, you would….
We do not know what might have happened to him under other circumstances, but if I had not been President, he would not have raised a blister on his toe, which resulted in blood poisoning, playing lawn tennis in the South Grounds.In his suffering he was asking me to make him well. I could not.
When he went the power and the glory of the Presidency went with him.
The ways of Providence are often beyond our understanding. It seemed to me that the world had need of the work that it was probable he could do.
I do not know why such a price was exacted for occupying the White House.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Presidency
It is necessary to have party organization if we are to have effective and efficient government. The only difference between a mob and a trained army is organization, and the only difference between a disorganized country and one that has the advantage of a wise and sound government is fundamentally a question of organization.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Organization
No nation ever had an army large enough to guarantee it against attack in time of peace or insure it victory in time of war.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Nation
We need not concern ourselves much about rights of property if we faithfully observe the rights of persons.
—Calvin Coolidge
The danger to America is not in the direction of the failure to maintain its economic position, but in the direction of the failure to maintain its ideals.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Ideals
I have never been hurt by what I have not said.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Words
It is only when men begin to worship that they begin to grow.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Religion
Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Progress, Goodness
They criticize me for harping on the obvious – If all the folks in the United States would do the few simple things they know they ought to do, most of our big problems would take care of themselves
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Criticism
When people are bewildered they tend to become credulous.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Belief
Do the day’s work. If it be to protect the rights of the weak, whoever objects, do it. If it be to help a powerful corporation better to serve the people, whatever the opposition, do that. Expect to be called a stand-patter, but don’t be a stand-patter. Expect to be called a demagogue, but don’t be a demagogue. Don’t hesitate to be as revolutionary as science. Don’t hesitate to be as reactionary as the multiplication table. Don’t expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. Don’t hurry to legislate. Give administration a chance to catch up with legislation.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Expectations, Strength
If I had permitted my failures, or what seemed to me at the time a lack of success, to discourage me I cannot see any way in which I would ever have made progress.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Progress, Failure
Patriotism is easy to understand in America; it means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Patriotism
Men speak of natural rights, but I challenge any one to show where in nature any rights existed or were recognized until there was established for their declaration and protection a duly promulgated body of corresponding laws.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Government, Right, Rightness
The collection of any taxes which are not absolutely required, which do not beyond reasonable doubt contribute to the public welfare, is only a species of legalized larceny. Under this republic the rewards of industry belong to those who earn them. The only constitutional tax is the tax which ministers to public necessity. The property of the country belongs to the people of the country. Their title is absolute. They do not support any privileged class; they do not need to maintain great military forces; they ought not to be burdened with a great array of public employees. They are not required to make any contribution to Government expenditures except that which they voluntarily assess upon themselves through the action of their own representatives. Whenever taxes become burdensome a remedy can be applied by the people; but if they do not act for themselves, no one can be very successful in acting for them.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Taxation
After all, the chief business of the American people is business.
—Calvin Coolidge
All growth depends upon activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort, and effort means work. Work is not a curse; it is the prerogative of intelligence, the only means to manhood, and the measure of civilization.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Work, Growth
I favor the policy of economy, not because I wish to save money, but because I wish to save people. The men and women of this country who toil are the ones who bear the cost of the Government. Every dollar that we carelessly waste means that their life will be so much the more meager. Every dollar that we prudently save means that their life will be so much the more abundant. Economy is idealism in its most practical form.
—Calvin Coolidge
Ultimately property rights and personal rights are the same thing.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Property
Under our institutions the only way to perfect the Government is to perfect the individual citizen. It is necessary to reach the mind and soul of the individual. I know of no way that this can be done save through the influence of religion and education. By religion I do not mean fanaticism or bigotry; by education I do not mean the cant of the schools, but a broad and tolerant faith, loving thy neighbor as thyself, and a training and experience that enables the human mind to see into the heart of things.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Religion
If you don’t say anything, you won’t be called on to repeat it.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Silence
Advertising is the life of trade.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Advertising
Changing a college curriculum is like moving a graveyard—you never know how many friends the dead have until you try to move them!
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Education
The business of America is business and the chief ideal of the American people is idealism.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: America, Business
It is a great advantage to a President, and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: America
We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Contentment, Responsibility, One Step at a Time, Action, Happiness
After order and liberty, economy is one of the highest essentials of a free government…. Economy is always a guarantee of peace.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Economy
Perhaps one of the most important accomplishments of my administration has been minding my own business.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Presidency
The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.
—Calvin Coolidge
If we judge ourselves only by our aspirations and everyone else only by their conduct, we shall soon reach a very false conclusion.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Criticism
Government price-fixing once started, has alike no justice and no end. It is an economic folly from which this country has every right to be spared
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Welfare
The man who builds a factory builds a temple; the man who works there worships there; and to each is due not scorn and blame but reverence and praise.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Work
Prosperity cannot be divorced from humanity.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Prosperity
Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Christmas
No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.
—Calvin Coolidge
No enterprise can exist for itself alone. It ministers to some great need, it performs some great service, not for itself, but for others; or failing therein, it ceases to be profitable and ceases to exist.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Service, Business
Governments are necessarily continuing concerns. They have to keep going in good times and in bad. They therefore need a wide margin of safety. If taxes and debt are made all the people can bear when times are good, there will be certain disaster when times are bad.
—Calvin Coolidge
Topics: Government
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