There is, indeed, a most dangerous passage in the history…
“There is, indeed, a most dangerous passage in the history of a democratic people. When the taste for physical gratifications among them has grown more rapidly than their education and their experience of free institutions, the time will come when men are carried away and lose all self-restraint at the sight of new possessions they are about to obtain. In their intense and exclusive anxiety to make a fortune they lose sight of the close connection that exists between the private fortune of each and the prosperity of all.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
When material desire outpaces education, citizens may abandon restraint, chasing wealth and harming collective prosperity.
In simple terms: Too much desire, too little learning, harms society.
Key Takeaway
Balance desire with education and civic responsibility.
Themes
democracy
materialism
self‑restraint
collective welfare
Mood
concerned
critical
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- political campaigning
- consumer culture
- financial speculation
- public policy
Key Concepts
political theory
social psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does consumerism affect civic virtue?
- What education reforms can curb material excess?
A Different Perspective
Neglecting education can lead to short‑term greed overriding long‑term stability.