Axioms Quote by Alexis de Tocqueville
“It is an axiom of political science in the United States that the sole means of neutralizing the effects of newspapers is to multiply their number.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835
More newspapers dilute each other's influence, reducing any single paper's power.
In simple terms: More papers lessen each one's impact.
Diversify news sources to avoid monopoly.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- voting decisions
- media consumption
- policy debates
- academic research
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does media plurality affect public opinion?
- Can quantity replace quality?
Assumes all media are equal; quality varies.