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
I considered mores to be one of the great general causes responsible for the maintenance of a democratic republic . . . the term "mores" . . . meaning . . . habits of the heart.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mores refer to the collective habits and values that uphold a democratic society.
Alexis De Tocqueville highlights the importance of 'mores'βthe shared values and habits of the heart that shape the character of a society. He suggests that these cultural norms are fundamental to maintaining a democratic republic, as they influence the behavior and decisions of individuals within the community, fostering a spirit of cooperation and civic responsibility.
Themes
MoresDemocracyValuesSocietyRepublicHabits
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about civic responsibility during a community meeting.
More from Alexis De Tocqueville
All quotes βDemocratic 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.
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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.
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The Indian knew how to live without wants, to suffer without complaint, and to die singing.
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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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