Alexis de Tocqueville
French · 1805–1859
French political thinker and historian, author of Democracy in America and The Old Regime and the Revolution, renowned for his analysis of democratic society, equality, and the tensions within liberal governance.
Wikipedia ↗“La tyrannie de la majorité est un danger toujours présent dans les démocraties.”
French
“The tyranny of the majority is an ever-present danger in democracies, and it is especially threatening to individual liberty because it operates not through the force of law but through the force of opinion.”
“Je ne connais pas de pays où il règne, en général, moins d'indépendance d'esprit et de véritable liberté de discussion qu'en Amérique.”
French
“I know of no country in which there is so little independence of mind and real freedom of discussion as in America.”
“Dans les sociétés démocratiques, chaque citoyen est habituellement occupé à contempler un très petit objet, qui est lui-même.”
French
“In democratic societies, each citizen is habitually busy with the contemplation of a very petty object, which is himself.”
“Les nations de nos jours ne sauraient empêcher que dans leur sein les conditions ne soient égales; mais il dépend d'elles que l'égalité les conduise à la servitude ou à la liberté, aux lumières ou à la barbarie, à la prospérité ou aux misères.”
French
“The nations of our time cannot prevent conditions of equality from spreading in their midst. But it depends upon themselves whether equality is to lead to servitude or freedom, to knowledge or barbarism, to prosperity or wretchedness.”
“Les Français de l'ancien régime tenaient pour maxime que le roi ne pouvait mal faire; et quand il lui arrivait de mal faire, on en imputait la faute à ses conseillers.”
French
“The French under the old monarchy held it for a maxim that the king could do no wrong; and if he did do wrong, the blame was imputed to his advisers. This made obedience very easy. One could murmur against the law without ceasing to love and honor the lawgiver.”
“Le moment le plus dangereux pour un mauvais gouvernement est d'ordinaire celui où il commence à se réformer.”
French
“The most dangerous moment for a bad government is usually when it begins to reform itself.”