Americans of all ages, all stations in life, and all types of disposition are forever forming associations. There are not only commercial and industrial associations in which all take part, but others of a thousand different types-religious, moral, serious, futile, very general and very limited, immensely large and very minute....At the head of any new undertaking, where in France you would find the government or in England some territorial magnate, in the United States you are sure to find an association.
Alexis de TocquevilleTown meetings are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they bring it within the people's reach.
Alexis de TocquevilleIn countries where associations are free, secret societies are unknown. In America there are factions, but no conspiracies.
Alexis de TocquevilleThe evil which one suffers patiently as inevitable seems insupportable as soon as he conceives the idea of escaping from it.
Alexis de Tocqueville