Democracy in America — Volume 1Tocqueville, Alexis de
History
Democracy in America — Volume 1
Tocqueville, Alexis de
Democracy -- United States; United States -- Politics and government; United States -- Social conditions
Advantages Of The Federal System In General, And Its Special Utility In
America.
Happiness and freedom of small nations—Power of great nations—Great
empires favorable to the growth of civilization—Strength often the
first element of national prosperity—Aim of the Federal system to unite
the twofold advantages resulting from a small and from a large
territory—Advantages derived by the United States from this system—The
law adapts itself to the exigencies of the population; population does
not conform to the exigencies of the law—Activity, amelioration, love
and enjoyment of freedom in the American communities—Public spirit of
the Union the abstract of provincial patriotism—Principles and things
circulate freely over the territory of the United States—The Union is
happy and free as a little nation, and respected as a great empire.
In small nations the scrutiny of society penetrates into every part,
and the spirit of improvement enters into the most trifling details; as
the ambition of the people is necessarily checked by its weakness, all
the efforts and resources of the citizens are turned to the internal
benefit of the community, and are not likely to evaporate in the
fleeting breath of glory. The desires of every individual are limited,
because extraordinary faculties are rarely to be met with. The gifts of
an equal fortune render the various conditions of life uniform, and the
manners of the inhabitants are orderly and simple. Thus, if one
estimate the gradations of popular morality and enlightenment, we shall
generally find that in small nations there are more persons in easy
circumstances, a more numerous population, and a more tranquil state of
society, than in great empires.
When tyranny is established in the bosom of a small nation, it is more
galling than elsewhere, because, as it acts within a narrow circle,
every point of that circle is subject to its direct influence. It
supplies the place of those great designs which it cannot entertain by
a violent or an exasperating interference in a multitude of minute
details; and it leaves the political world, to which it properly
belongs, to meddle with the arrangements of domestic life. Tastes as
well as actions are to be regulated at its pleasure; and the families
of the citizens as well as the affairs of the State are to be governed
by its decisions. This invasion of rights occurs, however, but seldom,
and freedom is in truth the natural state of small communities. The
temptations which the Government offers to ambition are too weak, and
the resources of private individuals are too slender, for the sovereign
power easily to fall within the grasp of a single citizen; and should
such an event have occurred, the subjects of the State can without
difficulty overthrow the tyrant and his oppression by a simultaneous
effort.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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