Alexis de Tocqueville
French aristocrat, political philosopher and sociologist
Lived from: 1805 - 1859
Category: History and sociology | Philosophers Country: 
France
Born: 29 july 1805 Died: 16 april 1859
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Quotes 1 till 20 of 49.
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History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
What is the 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 -
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 -
Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
An American cannot converse, but he can discuss, and his talk falls into a dissertation. He speaks to you as if he was addressing a meeting; and if he should chance to become warm in the discussion, he will say ''Gentlemen'' to the person with whom he is conversing.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
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 -
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 -
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 -
Despotism may govern without faith, but liberty cannot. How is it possible that society should escape destruction if the moral tie is not strengthened in proportion as the political tie is relaxed? And what can be done with a people who are their own masters if they are not submissive to the Deity?
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
Grant me thirty years of equal division of inheritances and a free press, and I will provide you with a republic.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
He was as great as a man can be without morality.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
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 -
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 -
In a revolution, as in a novel. the most difficult part to invent is the end.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
In America the majority raises formidable barriers around the liberty of opinion; within these barriers an author may write what he pleases, but woe to him if he goes beyond them.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
In countries where associations are free, secret societies are unknown. In America there are factions, but no conspiracies.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
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.
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In other words, 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 -
In politics... shared hatreds are almost always the basis of friendships.
― Alexis de Tocqueville -
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
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