Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes

The problem in this world is to avoid concentration of power -- we must have a dispersion of power.

China has not established the rule of law and if there is a power above the law there is no social justice. Everybody can be subjected to harm. I'm just a citizen: my life is equal in value to any other. But I'm thankful that when I lost my freedom so many people shared feelings and put such touching effort into helping me.

We are convinced that the institution of monarchy is incompatible with the spirit and needs of modern times which demand an egalitarian relationship between one citizen and another

The Declaration of Independence promised citizens equal access to economic opportunity. This was the powerful principle for which men were willing to fight the American Revolution, but it was never codified in law. When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, they assumed that the country's vast resources would ensure equality of opportunity.

All the citizens of a state cannot be equally powerful, but they may be equally free

All distinctions of birth or of rank have been abolished. All citizens, whether native or adopted, are placed upon terms of precise equality. All are entitled to equal rights and equal protection.

Asserting the equality of all men before the law, we hold that it is the duty of the government, in its dealings with the people, to mete out equal and exact justice to all citizens, of whatever nativity, race or persuasion—religious or political.

Those in power need checks and restraints lest they come to identify the common good with their own tastes and desires, and their continuation in office as essential to the preservation of the nation.

Peace is an unstable equilibrium, which can only be preserved by acknowledged supremacy or equal power.

Where freedom is real, equality is the passion of the masses. Where equality is real, freedom is the passion of a small minority.

Political liberty is nothing else but the diffusion of power.

The origins of the principle of the balance of power are lost in the mists of history.

Whenever, and from whatever causes, it might happen; and happen it would, that any one of these nations or confederacies should rise on the scale of political importance much above the degree of their neighbors, that moment would those neighbors behold her with envy and fear.

The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens.

There is a kind of theme that runs through the modern world that human relationships should be looked at in terms of power relationships, in terms of the manipulation of power. That is one of the really wicked ways of looking at the world. It strips people of their humanness.

No longer will you [individuals] be second class citizens to institutional interests.

We shall not abuse this astonishing and hitherto unheard of power, but every other nation will think we shall abuse it.

If an American citizen or group of citizens were to implement what is in this document [The Declaration of Independence] today, it probably would be considered unpatriotic and even bordering on committing acts of treason or rebellion," said Pastor "It's a powerful document

No nation can ever be worthy of its existence that cannot take its women along with the men. No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women

By the people for the people.

Gun Powder makes men equal: a citizen's musket fires as well as a nobleman's.

Be alike independent of crowned-kings. money-kings, and land-kings.

By 'Freedom' for Negroes, I meant and still mean, full economic, political and Social equality with American citizens, in thought, expression and action, with no discrimination based on race or color.

However energetically society in general may strive to make all the citizens equal and alike, the personal pride of each individual will always make him try to escape from the common level, and he will form some inequality somewhere to his own profit.

Nature rejects the monarch, not the man; The subject, not the citizen; for kings And subjects, mutual foes, forever play A losing game into each other's hands, Whose stakes are vice and misery. The man Of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys.