Alexis de Tocqueville Quote - Liberty Quotes Blog

"America is great because America is good. If America ever ceases to be good it will cease to be great."

by:	Alexis de Tocqueville [Alexis Charles Henri Maurice Clerel, le Comte de Tocqueville] (1805-1859) French historian
Date:	Supposedly upon visiting America in the early 19th Century
Source:	No source for this quote has ever been found. See: http://www.tocqueville.org/pitney.htm
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Categories:	America, Republic, Virtue
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Reader comments about this quote:

Any true American would believe this. If not, they should move to the country they think is better and more to their thinking. -- Anna, Germantown, MD
One large problem. The quotation is phony (spurious, bogus, fake). It appears nowhere in deT's writings. The honest thing would be to note that it's fake. John George, coauthor THEY NEVER SAID IT, Oxford U Press, 1989 -- joe labarbera, Carlsbad CA
Joe, the quote is already labelled as false. Thanks for your feedback. -- Editor, Liberty Quotes
-- Anonymous
You apparently haven't read all his writings. Try Tocqueville in Democracy in America, 1835. There you will find this quote to be true! -- Drew, Myrtle Beach
-- Anonymous
Great quote, but it really is false. deT never said it, not even in Democracy in America. -- groovy, london
-- D. Seng, Vancouver, Wa.
Now that Amerika has its military (militarized State Department, CIA, standing armies / navies etc., etc.) all over the world maintaining war and removing governments that are no longer useful to the fascist elite - is it still good ? -- Mike, Norwalk
Because it allowed slavery, America wasn't "good" to begin with. -- R. Donahoe, Yellow Springs, OH 2
Donahoe...America didn't "allow" slavery. America "inherited" slavery...from the English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese...America "ended" slavery. Even the Southern Confederacy was going to get rid of it...that's documented. Get it straight! -- J Carlton, Calgary 1
America was founded upon "seeking after that which good is" it is an ancient saying dating back to king David. As with Plato also. It is good to supply your children with Liberty and Freedom is it not ? -- Ronw13, ID
The statement stands without knowing from whose lips the statement came. -- Abby, Newport
That would be like saying, "America wasn't 'good' because it allowed murder". America never condoned slavery! -- David W Sylvester, Searsport 1

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