Alexis de Tocqueville Quotes About Desire

Quotes about: Desire

• Amongst democratic nations men easily attain a certain equality of conditions: they can never attain the equality they desire. It perpetually retires from before them, yet without hiding itself from their sight, and in retiring draws them on. At every moment they think they are about to grasp it; it escapes at every moment from their hold. They are near enough to see its charms, but too far off to enjoy them; and before they have fully tasted its delights they die.

  Alexis de Tocqueville

  Men, Thinking, Sight

  Alexis de Tocqueville (2003). “Democracy in America”, p.494, Regnery Publishing

• The First thing that strikes a traveler in the United States is the innumerable multitude of those who seek to emerge from their original condition; and the second is the rarity of lofty ambition to be observed in the midst of the universally ambitious stir of society. No Americans are devoid of a yearning desire to rise, but hardly any appear to entertain hopes of great magnitude or to pursue very lofty aims. All are constantly seeking to acquire property, power, and reputation.

  Alexis de Tocqueville

  Ambition, Ambitious, Desire

  "Democracy in America". Book by Alexis de Tocqueville, Volume II. Book Three, Chapter XIX, 1840.

• In towns it is impossible to prevent men from assembling, getting excited together and forming sudden passionate resolves. Towns are like great meeting houses with all the inhabitants as members. In them the people wield immense influence over their magistrates and often carry their desires into execution without intermediaries.

  Alexis de Tocqueville

  Men, America, People

  Alexis de Tocqueville (1990). “Democracy in America”

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