Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes

Alexis de Tocqueville
Alexis de Tocqueville
French Historian
Born: Jul 29, 1805
Died: Apr 16, 1859
Democratic First Great Men Society Will
Related authors: Edgar Quinet Fernand Braudel Jean Froissart Jules Michelet Marc Bloch Michel Foucault Rene Girard
Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude. Alexis de Tocqueville
Democracy Socialism Equality Liberty Word Nothing One Word Seeks Restraint Common Difference While Notice Servitude
The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. Alexis de Tocqueville
Day Money Will Congress Until Discovers American Endure Republic Public American Republic Bribe
The Americans combine the notions of religion and liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive of one without the other. Alexis de Tocqueville
Religion Liberty Impossible Other Minds Combine Conceive Make Without American Them Notions
The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults. Alexis de Tocqueville
Patriotism Nation Other Faults Lies Ability Rather More Repair Greatness Than America Any Being Her Enlightened
Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom. Alexis de Tocqueville
Freedom Equality Would Rather Equal Enamored Than Unequal American Slavery
When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness. Alexis de Tocqueville
Future Darkness Past Walks Spirit Longer Illuminates
In the United States, the majority undertakes to supply a multitude of ready-made opinions for the use of individuals, who are thus relieved from the necessity of forming opinions of their own. Alexis de Tocqueville
Own States Relieved Supply Individuals Thus Majority Opinions Ready-Made Forming Use Who Multitude United United States Necessity
There is hardly a political question in the United States which does not sooner or later turn into a judicial one. Alexis de Tocqueville
Political Later States Sooner Sooner Or Later Does Judicial Question Which Turn United United States Hardly
As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question: how much money will it bring in? Alexis de Tocqueville
Character World Money Will Value Single National Everything Only Sees Sought Answer How How Much How Much Money National Character Question American Much Deeper Bring
I know of no country in which there is so little independence of mind and real freedom of discussion as in America. Alexis de Tocqueville
Freedom Mind Independence Country No Country Know Real Real Freedom Discussion America Which Little
A democratic government is the only one in which those who vote for a tax can escape the obligation to pay it. Alexis de Tocqueville
Government Vote Obligation Pay Those Only Democratic Escape Tax Which Who
The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens. Alexis de Tocqueville
Health Quality Society Citizens Performed Democratic Democratic Society Private May Measured Functions
What is most important for democracy is not that great fortunes should not exist, but that great fortunes should not remain in the same hands. In that way there are rich men, but they do not form a class. Alexis de Tocqueville
Great Democracy Class Men Important Rich Way Remain Most Exist Hands Same Form Should Fortunes
Those that despise people will never get the best out of others and themselves. Alexis de Tocqueville
Best People Will Others Despise Those Out Never Get Themselves
I cannot help fearing that men may reach a point where they look on every new theory as a danger, every innovation as a toilsome trouble, every social advance as a first step toward revolution, and that they may absolutely refuse to move at all. Alexis de Tocqueville
Innovation Men Trouble First Revolution Every Danger Fearing Point Absolutely Advance Step Toward New Reach Look First Step May Move Refuse Where Cannot Social Theory Help
The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through. Alexis de Tocqueville
Time Old Society See Layer Through Colours Aristocratic Democratic Surface Covered American From Time To Time Breaking American Society Paint
In politics shared hatreds are almost always the basis of friendships. Alexis de Tocqueville
Politics Shared Almost Always Friendships Basis
Grant me thirty years of equal division of inheritances and a free press, and I will provide you with a republic. Alexis de Tocqueville
Me You Will Free Free Press Thirty Press Division Equal Provide Years Republic Grant
The whole life of an American is passed like a game of chance, a revolutionary crisis, or a battle. Alexis de Tocqueville
Life Game Battle Crisis Like Passed Revolutionary American Whole Chance
The genius of democracies is seen not only in the great number of new words introduced but even more in the new ideas they express. Alexis de Tocqueville
Great Democracy Genius Words Seen Introduced More Only New Ideas New Ideas Even Express Number
There is hardly a pioneer's hut which does not contain a few odd volumes of Shakespeare. I remember reading the feudal drama of Henry V for the first time in a log cabin. Alexis de Tocqueville
Time Remember First Reading Few Drama Log Log Cabin Hut Shakespeare Cabin Volumes Contain First Time Does Odd Pioneer Feudal Which Henry Hardly
Nothing seems at first sight less important than the outward form of human actions, yet there is nothing upon which men set more store: they grow used to everything except to living in a society which has not their own manners. Alexis de Tocqueville
Men First Important Own Nothing Manners Living Society Everything Sight Seems More Except Outward Than Human Human Actions Store Form Which Used Less Actions Grow Set
In a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end. Alexis de Tocqueville
Invent Revolution Difficult Part Most End Novel
All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it. Alexis de Tocqueville
War Nation Ought Those Liberties Destroy Seek Know Democratic Surest Accomplish Shortest Means Who
Consider any individual at any period of his life, and you will always find him preoccupied with fresh plans to increase his comfort. Alexis de Tocqueville
Life You Will Increase Consider Find Individual Period Him Comfort Fresh Always His Any Plans Preoccupied
The power of the periodical press is second only to that of the people. Alexis de Tocqueville
People Power Press Only Second
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