Yet somehow our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is in the way that it cares for its helpless members.

The test of a civilization is in the way that it cares for its helpless members

A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old. It is easy to love children. Even tyrants and dictators make a point of being fond of children. But the affection and care for the old, the incurable, the helpless are the true gold mines of a culture.

You judge a society by how it treats its citizens. We must do our best to ensure that every child can live in comfort and security, with the best possible education.

The civilization of any country may always be measured by the degree of equality between men and women; and society will never come truly into order until there is perfect equality and copartnership between them in every department of human life.

one simple way to measure the health of a society: track the % of people that have a good relationship with their parents
(the higher the better ... though Laffer curve here too if we ever hit it)

The quantity of civilization is measured by the quality of imagination.

The test of the moral quality of a civilization is its treatment of the weak and powerless.

The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.

The conception of life as constructive rather than antagonistic effort finds beautiful illustration in every approach that we make toward true civilization. You measure the quality and the value of the civilization of individuals or peoples, not by the houses which they live in or the clothes which they wear, but by the width and power of their sympathy.

One of the tests of the civilization of people is the treatment of its criminals.

The health of an enlightened and progressive society is measured by how vibrant is its science fiction, since that is where true self-critique and appraisal and hope lie.

If a test of civilization be sought, none can be so sure as the condition of that half of society over which the other half has power.

The true test of civilization is, not the census, nor the size of the cities, nor the crops - no, but the kind of man the country turns out.