For those unfamiliar, I will share what history.com says about Alexis de Tocqueville:
French sociologist and
political theorist Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) traveled to the United
States in 1831 to study its prisons and returned with a wealth of broader
observations that he codified in “Democracy in America” (1835), one of the most
influential books of the 19th century. With its trenchant observations on
equality and individualism, Tocqueville’s work remains a valuable explanation
of America to Europeans and of Americans to themselves.
Following are three Alexis de
Tocqueville quotes. They remain as valid
today as they were when expressed nearly two-hundred years ago:
"There are many
men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of
principle."
"The greatness
of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather
in her ability to repair her faults."
"Americans are
so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal
in freedom."
The equality quote seems IMHO to be one of the largest driving forces in today's politics. And I definitely agree with the first quote. (I'm just catching up today - seems like I don't get an email every time a new blog post appears.)
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