Food for thought

[Shooter04]

Researching a seminar for my class and part of it made me think...

"Turkish populations never took any part in the direction of the affairs of
society; they nevertheless accomplished immense undertakings as long as
they saw the triumph of the religion of Mohammed in the conquests of the
sultans. Today religion is passing away; despotism alone remains to them: they fall."

"What I admire most in America are not the administrative effects of de-
centralization, but its political effects. In the United States the native country
makes itself felt everywhere. It is an object of solicitude from the village to
the entire Union. The inhabitant applies himself to each of the interests of
his country as to his very own. he is glorified in the glory of the nation; in
the success that it obtains he believes he recognizes his own work, and he is
uplifted by it; he rejoices in the general prosperity from which he profits. He
has for his native country a sentiment analogues to the one that he feels for
his family, and it is still by a sort of selfishness that he takes an interest in
the state."

Just some food for thought for anyone that's interested. Interpret it as you wish

It's from Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" volume two.

And just for laughs

"In Europe, the criminal is an unfortunate who fights to hide his head from
the agents of power; the population in some way assists in the struggle. In
America, he is an enemy of the human race, and he has humanity as a whole
against him."