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Full Idea
The enlightened goodwill of men acting in an individual capacity is the only possible principle of social progress.
Gist of Idea
Only individual people of good will can achieve social progress
Source
Simone Weil (Reflections on Liberty and Social Oppression [1934], p.57)
Book Ref
Weil,Simone: 'Oppression and Liberty' [Routledge 1955], p.57
A Reaction
I identify with this. Virtually every admirable institution in a society can be traced back to the initiative of a few individuals. Every helpful technology was someone's brainwave.