Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes
Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian best known for his work “Democracy in America“. In this work, de Tocqueville sought to understand the rise of democracy in the United States and its potential implications for the future of France. His work is considered one of the most influential texts on democracy and has been quoted by many politicians and thinkers over the years. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most famous Alexis de Tocqueville quotes and what they mean in the context of his work.
Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian best known for his work “Democracy in America.” In this work, Tocqueville observed and analyzed the rise of democracy in the United States and its impact on society. He is also recognized for his other works, including “The Old Regime and the Revolution“ and “Recollections of the Revolution of 1848.”
“Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes” is a collection of quotes by Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political thinker and historian.
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes
“Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
“It is indeed difficult to imagine how men who have entirely renounced the habit of managing their own affairs could be successful in choosing those who ought to lead them. It is impossible to believe that a liberal, energetic, and wise government can ever emerge from the ballots of a nation of servants.”― Alexis de Tocqueville
“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
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes About America
“Democracy and so’=cialism 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
“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
“Society will develop a new kind of servitude which covers the surface of society with a network of complicated rules, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate. It does not tyrannise but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.”― Alexis de Tocqueville
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes on Socialism
“It’s not an endlessly expanding list of rights — the ‘right’ to education, the ‘right’ to health care, the ‘right’ to food and housing. That’s not freedom, that’s dependency. Those aren’t rights, those are the rations of slavery — hay and a barn for human cattle.”― Alexis de Tocqueville
“Society will develop a new kind of servitude which covers the surface of society with a network of complicated rules, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate. It does not tyrannise but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes on Socialism
“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
“Democracy extends the sphere of individual freedom, socialism restricts it. Democracy attaches all possible value to each man; socialism makes each man a mere agent, a mere number. 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
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes Tyranny of the Majority
“Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”― Alexis de Tocqueville
“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
“I studied the Quran a great deal. I came away from that study with the conviction that by and large there have been few religions in the world as deadly to men as that of Muhammad. As far as I can see, it is the principal cause of the decadence so visible today in the Muslim world and, though less absurd than the polytheism of old, its social and political tendencies are in my opinion more to be feared, and I therefore regard it as a form of decadence rather than a form of progress in relation to paganism itself.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes on Slavery
“Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things. In France, I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions. But in America I found they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country.” ~ 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
Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes on Democracy
“Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom…. The subjection of individuals will increase amongst democratic nations, not only in the same proportion as their equality, but in the same proportion as their ignorance.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
“I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can be no doubt that such men do not run.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
“Any measure that establishes legal charity on a permanent basis and gives it an administrative form thereby creates an idle and lazy class, living at the expense of the industrial and working class.” ~ Alexis de Tocqueville
What did Alexis de Tocqueville say about America?
In his book, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that America was a land of opportunity and liberty. He was impressed by the way Americans were able to work together to accomplish common goals.
What Were the Five Values That Alexis de Tocqueville Described?
In his work, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville described five values that he believed were important to the success of democracy in the United States. These values were liberty, equality, individualism, majority rule, and federalism. While some of these values may seem self–evident, others, like individualism, may not be as obvious. But, taken together, these five values form the foundation upon which democracy in America has been built and has thrived.
What Was Alexis de Tocqueville Concerned About?
Alexis de Tocqueville was concerned about the direction that democracy was headed in the United States. He was worried that the majority of people would begin to dictate what the minority could and could not do. This would lead to a loss of individual liberty and a rise in tyranny.
What Was Tocqueville Known For?
Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian best known for his work Democracy in America. In it, Tocqueville sought to understand the rise of democracy in the United States and its potential implications for the future of the world. He is also known for his support of the abolition of slavery and for his criticism of the brutal treatment of Native Americans by the US government.
The blog post “Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes“ is a compilation of quotes by the French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville. The quotes cover a wide range of topics, including democracy, liberty, equality, and education. Overall, the quotes provide a thoughtful and insightful view of de Tocqueville‘s thoughts on various topics.
