The aspect of American society is animated, because men and things are always changing; but it is monotonous, because all the changes are alike.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
The foremost or indeed sole condition required in order to succeed in centralizing the supreme power in a democratic community is to love equality or to get men to believe you love it. Thus, the science of despotism, which was once so complex, has been simplified and reduced, as it were, to a single principle.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True power in a democracy relies on genuine or perceived love for equality.
Alexis De Tocqueville highlights that the key to consolidating power within a democratic society is the ability to either genuinely embrace equality or convince people that one does. This notion suggests that the complexities of governance can be distilled into a single principle, where the heartfelt or performative endorsement of equality can allow leaders to centralize power without opposition.
Themes
EqualityPowerDemocracyLeadershipDespotism
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a political speech to emphasize the importance of equality in democratic leadership.
More from Alexis De Tocqueville
All quotes →Democratic communities have a natural taste for freedom: left to themselves they will seek it, cherish it, and view any deprivation of it with regret. But for equality their passion is ardent, insatiable, incessant, invincible: they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that, they still call for equality in slavery.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
Religion, which never intervenes directly in the government of American society, should therefore be considered as the first of their political institutions
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The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
The Indian knew how to live without wants, to suffer without complaint, and to die singing.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
Grant me thirty years of equal division of inheritances and a free press, and I will provide you with a republic.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
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