Author: Alexis de Tocqueville ## Volume 2, First Book, Chapter XI How the absence of social ties leads to lower quality in society and in products. This is a good explanation of some of the market imperatives in democratic capitalism: >When, on the contrary, every profession is open to all - when a multitude of persons are constantly embracing and abandoning it - and when its several members are strangers to each other, indifferent, and from their numbers hardly seen amongst themselves; the social tie is destroyed, and each workman, standing alone, endeavors simply to gain the greatest possible quantity of money at the least possible cost. The will of the customer is then his only limit. >[...] >From the combination of these causes the result is, that in democracies there are always a multitude of individuals whose wants are above their means, and who are very willing to take up with imperfect satisfaction rather than abandon the object of their desires. >[...] >Thus the democratic principle not only tends to direct the human mind to the useful arts, but it induces the artisan to produce with greater rapidity a quantity of imperfect commodities, and the consumer to content himself with these commodities. (p.561-2) On natural human sentiment to rise appear better than we are: >In the confusion of all ranks everyone hopes to appear what he is not, and makes great exertions to succeed in this object. This sentiment, indeed, which is but too natural to the heart of man does not originate in the democratic principle; but that principle applies it to material objects. (p.563) ## Volume 2, Second Book, Chapter 1 **Why democratic nations show a more ardent and enduring love of equality than of liberty.** ### The Paradox of Freedom >The first and most intense passion which is engendered by the equality of conditions is, I need hardly say, the love of that same equality. >[...] >It has been said a hundred times that our contemporaries are far more ardently and tenaciously attached to equality than to freedom (p.613) Confounding equality with freedom: >Although men cannot become absolutely equal unless they be entirely free, and consequently equality, pushed to its furthest extent, may be confounded with freedom, yet there is good reason for distinguishing the one from the other. (p.614) >The passion for equality penetrates on every side into men's hearts, expands there, and fills them entirely. Tell them not that by this blind surrender of themselves to an exclusive passion they risk their dearest interests: they are deaf. Show them not freedom escaping from their grasp, whilst they are looking another way: they are blind - or rather, they can discern but one sole object to be desired in the universe. (p.616) Under absolute monarchs and tyranny ranks are leveled most effectively. Therefore, equality precedes freedom in these societies. Historically, man has known equality far longer than he has known freedom and therefore holds onto it more dearly. >...they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that they still call for equality in slavery. They will endure poverty, servitude, barbarism - but they will not endure aristocracy. This is true at all times, and especially true in our own. All men and all powers seeking to cope with this irresistible passion, will be overthrown and destroyed by it. In our age, freedom cannot be established without it, and despotism itself cannot reign without its support. (p.617)