The title quote is from Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political writer who was probably also a very early social psychologist without realizing his contribution to the image of America in the early 1800's. He traveled across the United States in 1830 and published his two volume work called " Democracy in America" in 1835 and 1840. It may be significant that at that time there were only 24 states with a population of 12 million people. He was here from France to see how democracy worked and to understand how it was different from the aristocratic and bourgeois systems of Europe. (It is also noteworthy that he was an aristocrat and saw the world as only the very rich can see it).
I thought it relevant in that now that our election is over, we can take stock of where we are and where we are going.
It is apparent that some citizens are happy with the outcome of the election, and that some are concerned that we are going to hell in the proverbial hand-basket. And, that is the history of America over the last two hundred years. We have seen grid-lock, partisan fights, corruption and greed, power and scandal from the very beginning of our democracy. But, if the alternatives are considered, Dictatorship, Communism, Socialism, Theocracy, and different forms of government, Democracy looks pretty good. Sometimes it is broken, sometimes it runs very well, but democracy has the ability to change and adapt to the needs of the people. I believe that the founding fathers, and , in many cases their wives, saw the country and its people as a moving target, and had the good sense to incorporate the possibility of choice and flexibility. Thumbs up to these leaders, who were also aristocrats.
I am including a link to BrainyQuote so that you can read some of the quotes from de Tocqueville. He had an extremely sharp eye, and a clear view of America here.
I thought it relevant in that now that our election is over, we can take stock of where we are and where we are going.
It is apparent that some citizens are happy with the outcome of the election, and that some are concerned that we are going to hell in the proverbial hand-basket. And, that is the history of America over the last two hundred years. We have seen grid-lock, partisan fights, corruption and greed, power and scandal from the very beginning of our democracy. But, if the alternatives are considered, Dictatorship, Communism, Socialism, Theocracy, and different forms of government, Democracy looks pretty good. Sometimes it is broken, sometimes it runs very well, but democracy has the ability to change and adapt to the needs of the people. I believe that the founding fathers, and , in many cases their wives, saw the country and its people as a moving target, and had the good sense to incorporate the possibility of choice and flexibility. Thumbs up to these leaders, who were also aristocrats.
I am including a link to BrainyQuote so that you can read some of the quotes from de Tocqueville. He had an extremely sharp eye, and a clear view of America here.
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