Alva Myrdal Quotes

Powerful Alva Myrdal for Daily Growth

About Alva Myrdal

Alva Myrdal (1902-1986) was a renowned Swedish sociologist, diplomat, and politician, who made significant contributions to the fields of gender equality, peace studies, and social democracy. Born in Stockholm, Sweden on May 31, 1902, she was the eldest child of two prominent intellectuals: economist and sociologist Zygfrid Myrdal and his wife, Alva Gödeneius. Her upbringing in a progressive household influenced her lifelong dedication to social justice. Myrdal studied economics at Uppsala University and earned her Ph.D. from the London School of Economics. In 1927, she married fellow sociologist Gunnar Myrdal, with whom she collaborated on several groundbreaking works, including "The Polish Peasant in Europe and America" (1941) and "Crisis in the Population Question" (1934). Throughout her career, Alva Myrdal served as a member of the Swedish Parliament, worked as the Director of UNICEF, and was a key figure in the establishment of the United Nations. She played a crucial role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1950 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. One of her most significant works is "Women's Two Roles: Home and Work" (1946), where she advocated for equal opportunities for women in education, employment, and family life. Her later book, "The Game of Disarmament" (1957), was a seminal work on the politics of disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. Alva Myrdal passed away on March 28, 1986, leaving behind a rich legacy that continues to inspire and guide efforts towards gender equality, peace, and social justice worldwide. Some of her most notable quotes include: "It is not easy to be a revolutionary; it is infinitely more difficult to be a consistent conservative," and "The role of women has changed, but the division of labor in the family still remains largely the same as before."

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The art of living in the family is an art and not a natural gift."

This quote suggests that the ability to navigate and thrive within a family dynamic is a skill that must be cultivated, rather than an inherent talent or instinct. Family life can often present unique challenges, such as navigating complex relationships, managing emotions, and negotiating conflicts. The art of living in a family involves learning strategies for effective communication, problem-solving, empathy, and understanding. It's a continuous process that requires effort, patience, and adaptability.


"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."

This quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. Nothing exists independently; instead, everything is linked, intertwined, and dependent on one another for its existence or functionality. Understanding this can help us develop a holistic perspective that acknowledges the ripple effects of our actions, fostering empathy and cooperation in addressing complex issues.


"It seems to be the destiny of our age that we must first experience the worst before we can win the best."

This quote by Alva Myrdal suggests that significant progress or positive outcomes often follow periods of great hardship or adversity, particularly in the context of societal change or historical events. In other words, it may be necessary to endure difficult times before achieving great things. The quote implies a belief in resilience and perseverance during challenging times, as well as faith that better days will follow if we remain steadfast in our pursuit of progress.


"The way forward is through people and institutions combining their efforts to change the rules of the game."

This quote emphasizes the idea that meaningful progress and change in society can only be achieved when individuals and institutions collaborate effectively, working together to modify existing systems or establish new ones with fairer rules. In essence, it suggests that the key to advancing society lies not just in individual actions but also in collective efforts to reform societal structures.


"We cannot solve a problem by saying, 'It's not my department!'"

This quote underscores the importance of collective responsibility in solving problems, rather than shirking duties due to perceived boundaries or job descriptions. It suggests that every individual has a role to play, regardless of their specific position or area of expertise, in addressing issues that affect society as a whole. The message is that no problem can be truly resolved if everyone adopts an "it's not my department" mindset. Instead, we must work together and collaborate to create lasting solutions for the common good.


The longing for peace is rooted in the hearts of all men. But the striving, which at present has become so insistent, cannot lay claim to such an ambition as leading the way to eternal peace, or solving all disputes among nations.

- Alva Myrdal

Nations, Solving, Leading, Striving

It is frightening that in recent years such an increase has occurred in acts of terrorism, which have even reached peaceful countries such as ours. And as a 'remedy', more and more security forces are established to protect the lives of individual men and women.

- Alva Myrdal

Men And Women, Years, Acts, Security Forces

The economic and political roots of the conflicts are too strong for us to pretend to create a lasting state of harmonious understanding between men.

- Alva Myrdal

Strong, Roots, Political, Harmonious

War is murder. And the military preparations now being made for a potential major confrontation are aimed at collective murder. In a nuclear age the victims would be numbered by the millions. This naked truth must be faced.

- Alva Myrdal

War, Made, Being, Numbered

Nobel was a genuine friend of peace. He even went so far as to believe that he had invented a tool of destruction, dynamite, which would make war so senseless that it would become impossible. He was wrong.

- Alva Myrdal

Impossible, Senseless, Which, Dynamite

I personally believe that those who are leaders with political power over the world will be forced some day, sooner or later, to give way to common sense and the will of the people.

- Alva Myrdal

Political, Some, Forced, Common Sense

Where do these arms come from, these Saturday night specials that constitute the instrument of threats in bank robberies, or the hand grenades used by terrorists? How can their sales and their import be permitted?

- Alva Myrdal

Night, Saturday, Import, Permitted

There is a cultural factor promoting violence which nowadays undoubtedly is highly effective is the mass media. And particularly everything that enters our minds through pictorial media.

- Alva Myrdal

Through, Promoting, Which, Factor

Many countries persecute their own citizens and intern them in prisons or concentration camps. Oppression is becoming more and more a part of the systems.

- Alva Myrdal

Intern, More, Becoming, Persecute

I have always regarded global development as a struggle between the forces of good and evil. Not to be simplified as a struggle between Jesus and Satan, since I do not consider that the process is restricted to our own sphere of culture.

- Alva Myrdal

Process, Development, Always, Sphere

War and preparations for war have acquired a kind of legitimacy.

- Alva Myrdal

War, Kind, Preparations, Legitimacy

First and foremost arms are tools in the service of rival nations, pointing at the possibility of a future war.

- Alva Myrdal

Future, Service, Foremost, Possibility

All mankind is now learning that these nuclear weapons can only serve to destroy, never become beneficial.

- Alva Myrdal

Learning, Mankind, Destroy, Weapons

I agree with the many who consider freezing all sorts of weapons systems a first step in a realistic disarmament policy.

- Alva Myrdal

Agree, Disarmament, Many, Weapons

The world generally speaking is now drifting on a more and more devastating course towards the absurd target of extermination - or rather, to be more exact - of the northern hemisphere's towns, fields, and the people who have developed our civilization.

- Alva Myrdal

Civilization, More, Drifting, Exact

A great amount has been talked and written about what constitutes a sufficient balance and what really is meant by the concepts of 'balance' and 'deterrence'.

- Alva Myrdal

Been, Meant, Amount, Deterrence

The inventions and the great discoveries have opened up whole continents to reciprocal communication and interchange, provided we are willing.

- Alva Myrdal

Willing, Provided, Opened, Discoveries

It does not just happen. It is disclosed by science that practically one-half of trained intellectual resources are being mobilized for murderous purposes.

- Alva Myrdal

Happen, Trained, Practically, One-Half

My personal philosophy of life is one of ethics.

- Alva Myrdal

Life, Ethics, Personal, Philosophy

More must be done in concrete terms in order to promote the cause of disarmament.

- Alva Myrdal

Concrete, Promote, Terms, Disarmament

If only the authorities could be made to realize that the forces leading them on in the armament race are just insane.

- Alva Myrdal

Race, Could, Armament, Forces

The age in which we live can only be characterized as one of barbarism. Our civilization is in the process not only of being militarized, but also being brutalized.

- Alva Myrdal

Which, Characterized, Barbarism

It is of the greatest importance that people and governments in many more countries than ours should realize that it is more dangerous to have access to nuclear arms than not to possess them.

- Alva Myrdal

More, Access, Importance, Nuclear

The misconception that a victory can be worth its price, has in the nuclear age become a total illusion.

- Alva Myrdal

Victory, Price, Total, Nuclear

We can hope that men will understand that the interest of all are the same, that hope lies in cooperation. We can then perhaps keep PEACE.

- Alva Myrdal

Understand, Will, Then, Cooperation

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