--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans are so enamored of equality…" description: "\"“Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”\" — Alexis de Tocqueville" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_equality_americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-th_1141956.png" --- # Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather… ![“Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.” quote by Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_equality_americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-th_1141956.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_equality_americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-th_1141956.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_equality_americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-th_1141956.png) > ““Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”” [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The pursuit of equality can lead people to accept oppressive conditions rather than enjoy true freedom. **In simple terms:** Equality may be valued over freedom. Key Takeaway Balance equality with liberty. Themes equality freedom societal values Mood thoughtful critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - civil rights movements - authoritarian regimes - public policy debates Key Concepts political philosophy social trade‑offs Questions to Reflect On - Is true equality possible without sacrificing freedom? - How do societies avoid this paradox? A Different Perspective Equality without freedom can be hollow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enamored Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enamored-equality-1529913/) [Equal Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-slavery-1529911/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Equality Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-equal-761387/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Unequal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-unequal-1529909/) [Unequal Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unequal-freedom-1529907/) ## Related quotes > [Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom… The subjection of individuals will increase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-that-they-would-rather-be-equal/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Every member of the society spies on the rest, and it is his duty to inform against them. All are slaves and equal in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/every-member-of-the-society-spies-on-the-rest-and-it-is-his-duty-to/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [To every woman who gave birth, to every citizen and taxpayer, it's our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-arquette/to-every-woman-who-gave-birth-to-every-citizen-and-taxpayer-it-s-our/) [Patricia Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-arquette/) > [The doctrine of equality! ... But there is no more venomous poison in existence: for it appears to be preached by justice itself, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-doctrine-of-equality-but-there-is-no-more-venomous-poison-in/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Y’know, it’s not that we need equality. Because everyone’s already equal, it’s just that a ton of idiots lost the memo. Indeed, everyone just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-rose-mckee/y-know-it-s-not-that-we-need-equality-because-everyone-s-already/) [Ellie Rose McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-rose-mckee/) > [For example, justice is considered to mean equality, It does mean equality- but equality for those who are equal, and not for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/for-example-justice-is-considered-to-mean-equality-it-does-mean/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [You cannot say you've achieved equality until EVERYONE is equal and has equal opportunities!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/you-cannot-say-you-ve-achieved-equality-until-everyone-is-equal-and/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [By equality, one once understood equality in the very same sense in which the Bible speaks of equality: that we are all equal, inasmuch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/by-equality-one-once-understood-equality-in-the-very-same-sense-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. 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I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Can you look forward to the future of our country and imagine any state of things in which, with slavery still existing, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dale-owen/can-you-look-forward-to-the-future-of-our-country-and-imagine-any/) [Robert Dale Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dale-owen/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More by Alexis de Tocqueville > [All around you everything is on the move,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/all-around-you-everything-is-on-the-move/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [No state of society or laws can render men so much alike but that education, fortune, and tastes will interpose some differences between them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/no-state-of-society-or-laws-can-render-men-so-much-alike-but-that/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-do-not-know-if-the-people-of-the-united-states-would-vote-for/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [What good does it do me, after all, if an ever-watchful authority keeps an eye out to ensure that my pleasures will be tranquil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/what-good-does-it-do-me-after-all-if-an-ever-watchful-authority-keeps/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-greatness-of-america-lies-not-in-being-more-enlightened-than-any/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“I am unacquainted with His designs, but I shall not cease to believe in them because I cannot fathom them, and I had rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-am-unacquainted-with-his-designs-but-i-shall-not-cease-to-believe/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositories of the various creeds and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-questioned-the-faithful-of-all-communions-i-particularly-sought-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts, the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/christianity-is-the-companion-of-liberty-in-all-its-conflicts-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [The more alike men are, the weaker each feels in the face of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-more-alike-men-are-the-weaker-each-feels-in-the-face-of-all/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/there-is-a-twofold-liberty-natural-i-mean-as-our-nature-is-now/) [Alexis De Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Upon my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/upon-my-arrival-in-the-united-states-the-religious-aspect-of-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Despotism often presents itself as the repairer of all the ills suffered, the support of just rights, defender of the oppressed, and founder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/despotism-often-presents-itself-as-the-repairer-of-all-the-ills/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [On this waterlogged landscape…are scattered palaces and hovels…It is here that the human spirit becomes perfect, and at the same time brutalised, that civilisation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scattered-palaces-and-hovels-it-is/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“Despotism may govern without faith, but liberty cannot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/despotism-may-govern-without-faith-but-liberty-cannot/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) [Explore all 438 Alexis de Tocqueville quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) ## More Equality quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Nothing says the party is over more than when you run out of ice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rande-gerber/nothing-says-the-party-is-over-more-than-when-you-run-out-of-ice/) [Rande Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rande-gerber/) > [I hope that we always have diversity, that we have equality and representation every step of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/i-hope-that-we-always-have-diversity-that-we-have-equality-and/) [Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/) > [“Unless man is commited to the belief that all mankind are his brothers, then he labours in vain and hypocritically in the vineyards of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clayton-powell/unless-man-is-commited-to-the-belief-that-all-mankind-are-his/) [Adam Clayton Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clayton-powell/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) > [ \[Fighting for equality for women\] that's what my mission has been for the last years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/fighting-for-equality-for-women-that-s-what-my-mission-has-been-for/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [We have to restore power to the family, to the neighborhood, and the community with a non-market principle, a principle of equality, of charity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/we-have-to-restore-power-to-the-family-to-the-neighborhood-and-the/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [When we speak about equality, you want to be playing on the best pitches with the best facilities. You want to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/when-we-speak-about-equality-you-want-to-be-playing-on-the-best/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [Free milk will be provided in Hoxton and Shoredith, in Eton and Harrow. What more social equality can you have than that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-wilkinson/free-milk-will-be-provided-in-hoxton-and-shoredith-in-eton-and-harrow/) [Ellen Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-wilkinson/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [I will always support legislation which respects and values life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gresham-barrett/i-will-always-support-legislation-which-respects-and-values-life/) [Gresham Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gresham-barrett/) > [Sporting events like the Olympics have developed and maintained a clear message of promoting gender equality as an essential criterion in the success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-attias/sporting-events-like-the-olympics-have-developed-and-maintained-a/) [Richard Attias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-attias/) > [Although it may be difficult in theory to know what is just and equal, the practical difficulty of inducing those to forbear who can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/although-it-may-be-difficult-in-theory-to-know-what-is-just-and-equal/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) [Browse all 3,799 Equality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexis de Tocqueville" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-they-would-rather-be-equal-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Equality" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-they-would-rather-be-equal-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_equality_americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-th_1141956.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_equality_americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-th_1141956.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b29/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_equality_americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-th_1141956.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Americans are so enamored of equality, they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.” — Alexis de Tocqueville", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexis de Tocqueville", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Americans are so enamored of equality,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-they-would-rather-be-equal-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/americans-are-so-enamored-of-equality-they-would-rather-be-equal-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```