The phrase "we have nothing to fear but fear itself" was famously said by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first inaugural address on March 4, 1933. He used it to convey the idea that fear itself was the main obstacle to recovery from the Great Depression, emphasizing that fear paralyzes efforts needed to overcome adversity.
However, the sentiment behind the phrase predates Roosevelt by centuries. It can be traced back to the 16th century French writer Michel de Montaigne, who wrote about fear being the thing he most feared. In the 17th century, Francis Bacon wrote a similar phrase meaning "Nothing is terrible except fear itself." Additionally, Henry David Thoreau in the 19th century wrote, "Nothing is so much to be feared as fear".
Thus, while Roosevelt popularized the phrase in modern American history, the core idea has long philosophical origins and was a common sentiment expressed by various writers before him.
