Democracy in America, Volume 2Sever and Francis, 1863 - Democracy |
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action affairs ambition Ameri Americans Amongst aristocratic nations amongst democratic nations appear aristo aristocratic ages asso associations authority become believe Cantons cause central power CHAPTER citizens civil conceive constantly constitution constitution of Switzerland contrary cratic dangerous demo democracy democratic ages democratic armies democratic communities democratic countries desires despotism easily England equality of conditions eral Europe exist feel fortune France freedom French frequently habits honor human mind ical ideas independence individuals institutions interest labor language lative laws less living in democratic Louis XIV mankind manners manufactures master means ment Middle Ages midst military morals multitude natural never non-commissioned officers object opinions passions peculiar persons pleasures political principle of equality privileges profession ranks religion remain render representative democracies revolution seek social condition society speak spirit Switzerland taste things tion truth uncon United wants wealth whilst whole
Popular passages
Page 129 - Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions, constantly form associations. They have not only commercial and manufacturing companies, in which all take part, but associations of a thousand other kinds — religious, moral, serious, futile, extensive or restricted, enormous or diminutive.
Page 262 - I have nowhere seen woman occupying a loftier position ; and if I were asked, now that I am drawing to the close of this work, in which I have spoken of so many important things done by the Americans, to what the singular prosperity and growing strength of that people ought mainly to be attributed, I should reply, — to the superiority of their women.
Page 132 - Feelings and opinions are recruited, the heart is enlarged, and the human mind is developed only by the reciprocal influence of men upon one another. I have shown that these influences are almost null in democratic countries; they must therefore be artificially created, and this can only be accomplished by associations.
Page 420 - I subjoin a short catalogue and analysis of the works which seem to me the most important to consult.* At the head of the general documents which it would be advantageous to examine, I place the work entitled An Historical Collection of State Papers, and other authentic Documents, intended as Materials for a History of the United States of America...
Page 1 - I THINK that in no country in the civilized world is less attention paid to philosophy than in the United States. The Americans have no philosophical school of their own ; and they care but little for all the schools into which Europe is divided, the very names of which are scarcely known to them.
Page 123 - The great advantage of the Americans is, that they have arrived at a state of democracy without having to endure a democratic revolution; and that they are born equal, instead of becoming so.
Page 145 - There they meet together in large numbers, they converse, they listen to each other, and they are mutually stimulated to all sorts of undertakings. They afterwards transfer to civil life the notions they have thus acquired, and make them subservient to a thousand purposes. Thus it is by the enjoyment of a dangerous freedom that the Americans learn the art of rendering the dangers of freedom less formidable.
Page 431 - The power and jurisdiction of parliament, says Sir Edward Coke, is so transcendent and absolute that it cannot be confined. either for causes or persons, within any bounds.
Page 121 - Thus, not only does democracy make every man forget his ancestors, but it hides his descendants and separates his contemporaries from him ; it throws him back forever upon himself alone, and threatens in the end to confine him entirely within the solitude of his own heart.
Page 1 - To evade the bondage of system and habit, of family-maxims, class-opinions, and, in some degree, of national prejudices; to accept tradition only as a means of information, and existing facts only as a lesson used in doing otherwise and doing better...