Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes

French - Historian July 29, 1805 - April 16, 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

Equality, Democracy, Socialism, One Word

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, Greatness, America, Nation

History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies. - Alexis de Tocqueville

History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies. Alexis de Tocqueville

History, Pictures, Gallery, Few, Many

The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money. Alexis de Tocqueville

Money, Day, American, Congress, Republic

Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom. Alexis de Tocqueville

Freedom, Equality, Slavery, Equal, Than

When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness. - Alexis de Tocqueville

When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness. Alexis de Tocqueville

Future, Darkness, Past, Spirit, Walks

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

Opinions, Own, 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, Question, Turn, Judicial

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, Money, Value, World, Question

The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens. Alexis de Tocqueville

Health, Quality, Society, Democratic

Top 10
Alexis de Tocqueville
Quotes

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, Society, American, Paint, See, Old

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, Step, Men, Help, Revolution

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, Ideas, Words, Genius, New, More

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, Free, You, Will, Division, Republic

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, Reading, Remember, Drama, Cabin

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, Comfort, Find, Plans, Always

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, Men, Rich, Hands, Way

There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle. Alexis de Tocqueville

Politics, Men, America, Party, Principle

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, America, Independence

We succeed in enterprises which demand the positive qualities we possess, but we excel in those which can also make use of our defects. Alexis de Tocqueville

Positive, Business, Succeed, Excel, Our

Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith. - Alexis de Tocqueville

Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith. Alexis de Tocqueville

Faith, Morality, Liberty, Without, Nor

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, Impossible, Minds, Liberty

The main business of religions is to purify, control, and restrain that excessive and exclusive taste for well-being which men acquire in times of equality. Alexis de Tocqueville

Business, Equality, Men, Control, Taste

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, Know, Accomplish, Nation, Destroy

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

Vote, Government, Escape, Tax, Pay, Only

In no other country in the world is the love of property keener or more alert than in the United States, and nowhere else does the majority display less inclination toward doctrines which in any way threaten the way property is owned. Alexis de Tocqueville

Love, World, Way, Country, More, Nowhere

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