The aspect of American society is animated, because men and things are always changing; but it is monotonous, because all the changes are alike.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
The civil jury is the most effective form of sovereignty of the people. It defies the aggressions of time and man. During the reigns of Henry VIII (1509-1547) and Elizabeth I (1158-1603), the civil jury did in reality save the liberties of England.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The civil jury represents the people's ultimate authority and protects their freedoms against tyranny.
This quote emphasizes the significance of the civil jury in upholding democracy and individual rights. By referring to historical figures like Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, De Tocqueville illustrates how the jury system has acted as a safeguard against the overreach of power, suggesting that it embodies the will of the people and serves as a cornerstone of liberty in society.
Themes
Civil JurySovereigntyJusticeLibertyDemocracyAuthority
In practice
Example use cases
During a seminar on democracy, one could quote this to emphasize the importance of citizen participation in the judicial system.
More from Alexis De Tocqueville
All quotes →Democratic communities have a natural taste for freedom: left to themselves they will seek it, cherish it, and view any deprivation of it with regret. But for equality their passion is ardent, insatiable, incessant, invincible: they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that, they still call for equality in slavery.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
Religion, which never intervenes directly in the government of American society, should therefore be considered as the first of their political institutions
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The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
The Indian knew how to live without wants, to suffer without complaint, and to die singing.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
Grant me thirty years of equal division of inheritances and a free press, and I will provide you with a republic.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
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