I have only one passion, the love of liberty and human dignity. Alexis de Tocqueville More Quotes by Alexis de Tocqueville More Quotes From Alexis de Tocqueville Despotism can do without faith but freedom cannot. Alexis de Tocqueville despotism tyranny can-do Above this race of men stands an immense and tutelary power, which takes upon itself alone to secure their gratifications, and to watch over their fate. That power is absolute, minute, regular, provident, and mild. It would be like the authority of a parent, if, like that authority, its object was to prepare them for manhood; but it seeks, on the contrary, to keep them in perpetual childhood. Alexis de Tocqueville fate power men The evil which one suffers patiently as inevitable seems insupportable as soon as he conceives the idea of escaping from it. Alexis de Tocqueville escaping evil ideas Every central government worships uniformity: uniformity relieves it from inquiry into an infinity of details, which must be attended to if rules have to be adapted to different men, instead of indiscriminately subjecting all men to the same rule. Alexis de Tocqueville details different men America is a land of wonders, in which everything is in constant motion and every change seems an improvement. No natural boundary seems to be set to the efforts of man; and in his eyes what is not yet done is only what he has not attempted to do. - from Democracy in America Alexis de Tocqueville eye change men Socialism is a new form of slavery. Alexis de Tocqueville slavery politics political If there ever are great revolutions there, they will be caused by the presence of the blacks upon American soil. Alexis de Tocqueville soil revolution political Those that despise people will never get the best out of others and themselves. Alexis de Tocqueville despise people Two things in America are astonishing: the changeableness of most human behavior and the strange stability of certain principles. Men are constantly on the move, but the spirit of humanity seems almost unmoved. Alexis de Tocqueville men two moving The best laws cannot make a constitution work in spite of morals; morals can turn the worst laws to advantage. Alexis de Tocqueville constitution moral law Every nation that has ended in tyranny has come to that end by way of good order. It certainly does not follow from this that peoples should scorn public peace, but neither should they be satisfied with that and nothing more. A nation that asks nothing of government but the maintenance of order is already a slave in the depths of its heart; it is a slave of its well-being, ready for the man who will put it in chains. Alexis de Tocqueville heart men order Nothing seems at first sight less important than the outward form of human actions, yet there is nothing upon which men set more store: they grow used to everything except to living in a society which has not their own manners. Alexis de Tocqueville important sight men I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositories of the various creeds and have a personal interest in their survival ... all thought the main reason for the quiet sway of religion over their country was the complete separation of church and state. I have no hesitation in stating that throughout my stay in America I met nobody, lay or cleric, who did not agree about that. Alexis de Tocqueville faithful country america One has freedom as the principal means of action; the other has servitude. Their . . . paths [are] diverse; nevertheless, each seems called by some secret design of Providence one day to hold in its hands the destinies of half the world. Alexis de Tocqueville destiny mean hands In a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end. Alexis de Tocqueville invention rebellious revolution Society was cut in two: those who had nothing united in common envy; those who had anything united in common terror. Alexis de Tocqueville envy cutting two Lawyers belong to the people by birth and interest, and to the aristocracy by habit and taste; they may be looked upon as the connecting link of the two great classes of society. Alexis de Tocqueville class two people Life is to be entered upon with courage. Alexis de Tocqueville anxiety courage worry If I were asked ... to what the singular prosperity and growing strength of Americans ought mainly to be attributed, I should reply: To the superiority of their women. Alexis de Tocqueville women growing education The tie of language is perhaps the strongest and the most durable that can unite mankind. Alexis de Tocqueville mankind language ties
