“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?”
Money
“History is a gallery of pictures in which there are few originals and many copies.”
HistoryAll Quotes by Alexis de Tocqueville
“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.”
Society“The power of the periodical press is second only to that of the people.”
Power“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.”
War“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.”
Money“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.”
Equality“A democratic government is the only one in which those who vote for a tax can escape the obligation to pay it.”
Government“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.”
Government“Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.”
Faith“The debates of that great assembly are frequently vague and perplexed, seeming to be dragged rather than to march, to the intended goal. Something of this sort must, I think, always happen in public democratic assemblies.”
Great“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.”
Business“He was as great as a man can be without morality.”
Great“In politics shared hatreds are almost always the basis of friendships.”
Politics“The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.”
Health“No protracted war can fail to endanger the freedom of a democratic country.”
Freedom“Life is to be entered upon with courage.”
Courage“Those that despise people will never get the best out of others and themselves.”
Best“We succeed in enterprises which demand the positive qualities we possess, but we excel in those which can also make use of our defects.”
Business“There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.”
Men“Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”
Equality