This quote emphasizes the crucial role of civic associations and collective action in a democracy. Tocqueville believed that people's ability to organize themselves was fundamental to maintaining freedom and solving societal problems effectively.
Quote by Alexis de Tocqueville: “In democratic countries, the science of association is the mother of all sciences.”
In democratic countries, the science of association is the mother of all sciences.
Insight
Historical Context
Observing the numerous voluntary associations in America, from religious groups to political movements, and their impact on society's health and functioning as a self-governing nation.
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French political scientist and historian who traveled the United States in 1831 and produced Democracy in America, one of the most penetrating analyses of American society and democracy ever written. His observations about the tyranny of the majority remain widely cited today.
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