Alexis de Tocqueville
Alexis de Tocqueville (July 29, 1805 - April 16, 1859) was a French political thinker and historian. His works include Du Système Pénitentaire aux États-Unis et de Son Application en France (1833), De La Démocratie (1840), and L'Ancien Régime et la Révolution (1856). He championed liberty and democracy. Alexis de Tocqueville once observed that it is easier for the world to accept a simple lie than a complex truth.
He was born in Paris and died in Cannes. His work based on his travels in the United States, translated in the English language as Democracy in America, is frequently used in courses in 19th century United States history. His advocacy of private charity rather than government aid to assist the poor has often been cited admiringly by American conservatives, particularly in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Works
- Du Système Pénitentaire aux États-Unis et de Son Application en France (1833) – English: On the penitentiary system in the United States, and its application to France
- Democracy in America (1835)
- De La Démocratie (1840) – English: On Democracy
- L'Ancien Régime et la Révolution (1856) – English: The Ancien régime and the French Revolution
Quotations
- 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.
- There are at the present time two great nations in the world — I allude to the Russians and the Americans — All other nations seem to have nearly reached their national limits, and have only to maintain their power; these alone are proceeding — along a path to which no limit can be perceived.
See also
