12.11.05
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes
The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.
- Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
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, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
The French want no-one to be their superior. The English want inferiors. The Frenchman constantly raises his eyes above him with anxiety. The Englishman lowers his beneath him with satisfaction.
- Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
However energetically society in general may strive to make all the citizens equal and alike, the personal pride of each individual will always make him try to escape from the common level, and he will form some inequality somewhere to his own profit.
- Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.
- Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
There is hardly a political question in the United States which does not sooner or later turn into a judicial one.
- Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
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, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
There are two things which a democratic people will always find very difficult – to begin a war and to end it.
- Alexis de Tocqueville, French historian & political scientist, 1805-1859
