Alexis De Tocqueville Quotes: top 100 famous quotes about Alexis De Tocqueville

Alexis De Tocqueville Quotes & Sayings

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Furthermore, when citizens are all almost equal, it becomes difficult for them to defend their independence against the aggressions of power. — Alexis De Tocqueville

He was as great as a man can be without morality. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Each man is forever thrown back on himself alone, and there is danger that he may be shut up in the solitude of his own heart. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The jury, which is the most energetic means to make the people rule, is also the most effective means to teach them to rule. — Alexis De Tocqueville

A long war almost always places nations in this sad alternative: that their defeat delivers them to destruction and their triumph to despotism. — Alexis De Tocqueville

[R]eligion cannot share the material strength of the rulers without being burdened with some of the animosity roused against them. — Alexis De Tocqueville

In the United States, there is no end which human will despairs of attaining through the combined power of individuals united in a society. — Alexis De Tocqueville

There is a natural prejudice which prompts men to despise whomsoever has been their inferior long after he is become their equal; — Alexis De Tocqueville

Despotism can do without faith but freedom cannot. — Alexis De Tocqueville

In politics shared hatreds are almost always the basis of friendships. — Alexis De Tocqueville

General ideas are no proof of the strength, but rather of the insufficiency of the human intellect. — Alexis De Tocqueville

In democratic countries, knowledge of how to combine is the mother of all other forms of knowledge; on its progress depends that of all the others. — Alexis De Tocqueville

What is not yet done is only what we have not yet attempted to do. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Socialism is a new form of slavery. — Alexis De Tocqueville

To mimic virtue is of every age; but the hypocrisy of luxury belongs more particularly to the ages of democracy. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Remember that life is neither pain nor pleasure; it is serious business, to be entered upon with courage and in a spirit of self-sacrifice. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Nations as well as men require time to learn, whatever may be their intelligence or zeal. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Slavery received, but the prejudice to which it has given birth remains stationary. — Alexis De Tocqueville

A man's admiration for absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for those around him. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Like Alexis de Tocqueville, they feared unfettered democracy and believed totalitarianism was the natural consequence of mass democracy run amok. They — Kim R. Holmes

The Indian knew how to live without wants, to suffer without complaint, and to die singing. — Alexis De Tocqueville

I have only one passion, the love of liberty and human dignity. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Democratic institutions generally give men a lofty notion of their country and themselves. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The Americans live in a democratic state of society, which has naturally suggested to them certain laws and a certain political character. This — Alexis De Tocqueville

Society is endangered not by the great profligacy of a few, but by the laxity of morals amongst all. — Alexis De Tocqueville

As the past has ceased to throw its light upon the future, the mind of man wanders in obscurity. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Comfort becomes a goal when distinctions of rank are abolished and privileges destroyed. — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

History, it is easily perceived, is a picture-gallery containing a host of copies and very few originals. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Of all nations, those submit to civilization with the most difficulty which habitually live by the chase. — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

Patriotism and religion are the only two motives in the world which can permanently direct the whole of a body politic to one end. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Nothing is more striking to an European traveller in the United States than the absence of what we term the Government, or the Administration. — Alexis De Tocqueville

A state of equality is perhaps less elevated, but it is more just; and its justice constitutes its greatness and beauty. — Alexis De Tocqueville

It is the civil jury that really saved the liberties of England. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Every central government worships uniformity: uniformity relieves it from inquiry into an infinity of details. — Alexis De Tocqueville

He who seeks freedom for anything but freedom's self is made to be a slave. — Alexis De Tocqueville

In reality it is far less prejudicial to witness the immorality of the great than to witness that immorality which leads to greatness. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Despotism often presents itself as the repairer of all the ills suffered, the support of just rights, defender of the oppressed, and founder of order. — Alexis De Tocqueville

It must never be forgotten that religion gave birth to Anglo-American society. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Literature became an arsenal where the poorest and the weakest could always find weapons to their hand. — Alexis De Tocqueville

All around you everything is on the move, — Alexis De Tocqueville

However enlightened and however skilful a central power may be, it cannot of itself embrace all the details of the existence of a great nation. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Amongst civilized nations revolts are rarely excited, except by such persons as have nothing to lose by them; — Alexis De Tocqueville

Despotism alone can provide that atmosphere of secrecy which favors crooked dealing and enables the freebooters of finance to make illicit fortunes. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Under wage labor, the art advances, the artisan declines. — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

The two chief weapons which parties use in order to ensure success are the public press and the formation of associations. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Despotism may govern without faith, but liberty cannot. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Nothing is so dangerous as that of violence employed by well-meaning people for beneficial objects. — Alexis De Tocqueville

America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. — Alexis De Tocqueville

What one must fear, moreover, is not so much the sight of the immorality of the great as that of immorality leading to greatness. — Alexis De Tocqueville

When justice is more certain and more mild, is at the same time more efficacious. — Alexis De Tocqueville

I see no clear reason why the doctrine of self-interest properly understood should turn men away from religious beliefs. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The man who asks of freedom anything other than itself is born to be a slave. — Alexis De Tocqueville

For a taste for variety is one of the characteristic passions of democracy. — Alexis De Tocqueville

In democratic society each citizen is habitually busy with the contemplation of a very petty object, which is himself. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Can it be believed that the democracy which overthrew the feudal system and vanquished kings will retreat before tradesmen and capitalists? — Alexis De Tocqueville

The most perilous moment for a bad government is one when it seeks to mend its ways. — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

The last thing a political party gives up is its vocabulary. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Democratic nations care but little for what has been, but they are haunted by visions of what will be. — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

The invention of fire-arms equalized the villein and the noble on the field of battle; printing opened the same resources to the minds of all classes; — Alexis De Tocqueville

In the States of New England, from the first, the condition of the poor was provided for; — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

Evils which are patiently endured when they seem inevitable become intolerable once the idea of escape from them is suggested. — Alexis De Tocqueville

[Liberty] considers religion as the safeguard of morality, and morality as the best security of law and the surest pledge of the duration of freedom. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Men will not accept truth at the hands of their enemies, and truth is seldom offered to them by their friends — Alexis De Tocqueville

Nothing is more wonderful than the art of being free, but nothing is harder to learn how to use than freedom. — Alexis De Tocqueville

I had rather mistrust my own capacity than God's justice. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Those which we call necessary institutions are simply no more than institutions to which we have become accustomed. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Military discipline is merely a perfection of social servitude. — Alexis De Tocqueville

I know of no country, indeed, where the love of money has taken a stronger hold on the affections of men. — Alexis De Tocqueville

You need not value it yourself if you do not wish to; but you ought to allow it to us who do value it. — Alexis De Tocqueville

I have always noticed in politics how often men are ruined by having too good a memory. — Alexis De Tocqueville

One of the commonest weaknesses of human intelligence is the wish to reconcile opposing principles and to purchase harmony at the expensive of logic. — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

This so-called tolerance, which, in my opinion, is nothing but a huge indifference. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The most dangerous moment for a bad government is when it begins to reform. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Despotism may be able to do without religion, but democracy cannot. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Trade is the natural enemy of all violent passions because it loves moderation, delights in compromise an is most careful to avoid anger. — Alexis De Tocqueville

In a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end. — Alexis De Tocqueville

To get the inestimable good that freedom of the press assures one must know how to submit to the inevitable evil it gives rise to. — Alexis De Tocqueville

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

A whole nation cannot rise above itself. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Amongst democratic nations, each new generation is a new people. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The South, which is peopled with ardent and irascible beings, is becoming more irritated and alarmed. — Alexis De Tocqueville

By obliging men to turn their attention to other affairs than their own, it rubs off that private selfishness which is the rust of society. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The will of the nation is one of those expressions which have been most profusely abused by the wily and the despotic of every age. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The only way to neutralize the effect of public journals is to multiply them indefinitely. — Alexis De Tocqueville

I passionately love liberty, legality, respect for rights, but not democracy. That is what I find in the depth of my soul. — Alexis De Tocqueville

America is a land of wonders, in which everything is in constant motion and every change seems an improvement. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Physical strength therefore is one of the first conditions of happiness and even of the existence of nations. — Alexis De Tocqueville

The greatest difficulty in antiquity with that of altering the law; among the moderns, it is that of altering the manners. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Life is to be entered upon with courage. — Alexis De Tocqueville

Men living in democratic times have many passions, but most of their passions either end in the love of riches, or proceed from it. — Alexis De Tocqueville

If there ever are great revolutions there, they will be caused by the presence of the blacks upon American soil. — Alexis De Tocqueville

In such an admirable position of the New World, man has no other enemy than himself. — Alexis De Tocqueville