14 Quotes By Arnold J. Toynbee


A life which does not go into action is a failure.
Arnold J. Toynbee on failure

As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is our responsibility.
Arnold J. Toynbee on freedom

Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God.
Arnold J. Toynbee on god

Civilization is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor.
Arnold J. Toynbee on history

History is a vision of God's creation on the move.
Arnold J. Toynbee on history

Of the twenty-two civilizations that have appeared in history, nineteen of them collapsed when they reached the moral state the United States is in now.
Arnold J. Toynbee on history

Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice.
Arnold J. Toynbee on imagination

To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization.
Arnold J. Toynbee on intelligence

As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is our responsibility.
Arnold J. Toynbee on nature

Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God.
Arnold J. Toynbee on power

The equation of religion with belief is rather recent.
Arnold J. Toynbee on religion

The human race's prospects of survival were considerably better when we were defenceless against tigers than they are today when we have become defenceless against ourselves.
Arnold J. Toynbee on society

The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.
Arnold J. Toynbee on work

America is a large friendly dog in a small room. Every time it wags its tail it knocks over a chair.
Arnold J. Toynbee on diplomacy