--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On this waterlogged landscape…are…" description: "\"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 ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_cities_on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scatte_108293.jpg" --- # On this waterlogged landscape…are scattered palaces and… ![“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 produces its marvels and that civilised man returns to the savage.” quote by Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_cities_on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scatte_108293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_cities_on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scatte_108293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_cities_on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scatte_108293.jpg) > “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 produces its marvels and that civilised man returns to the savage.” [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. Civilization produces both lofty achievements and brutal oppression; humanity oscillates between refinement and primal instincts. **In simple terms:** Culture creates marvels and cruelty together. Key Takeaway Dual nature of progress. Themes Civilization Human nature Contradiction History Mood Contemplative Melancholic Type Historical observation Cultural critique When to use this quote - Urban development - Technological innovation - Social reform movements Key Concepts Dialectical tension Cultural paradox Practical Applications - Balance advancement with ethical safeguards - Recognize inherent contradictions Questions to Reflect On - How can societies nurture brilliance without brutalizing? - What mechanisms mitigate the savage side of progress? A Different Perspective Romanticizing the 'savage' can ignore systemic injustices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Civilisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilisation/) [Human spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-spirit/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Palaces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palaces/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [The true savage is a slave, and is always talking about what he must do; the true civilised man is a free man, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-true-savage-is-a-slave-and-is-always-talking-about-what-he-must/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [It is a mark of civilised man that he seeks to understand his traditions, and to criticise them, not to swallow them whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses-finley/it-is-a-mark-of-civilised-man-that-he-seeks-to-understand-his/) [Moses Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses-finley/) > [“I am not what you call a civilised man! I have done with society entirely, for reasons which I alone have the right of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/i-am-not-what-you-call-a-civilised-man-i-have-done-with-society/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [A civilised man is someone who has discovered something more satisfying than combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/a-civilised-man-is-someone-who-has-discovered-something-more/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [Just as the savage must wrestle with nature to satisfy his wants, to maintain and reproduce life, so must civilised man, and he must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/just-as-the-savage-must-wrestle-with-nature-to-satisfy-his-wants-to/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Intellectuals never sound more foolish than when posing as the last civilised man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/intellectuals-never-sound-more-foolish-than-when-posing-as-the-last/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [If you want to be a civilised man, first you have to be a non-violent man! If you want to be a civilised country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-want-to-be-a-civilised-man-first-you-have-to-be-a-non-violent/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The worth of men consists in their liability to persuasion. They can persuade and can be persuaded by the disclosure of alternatives, the better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-worth-of-men-consists-in-their-liability-to-persuasion-they-can/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“There are other, civilised ways of dealing with the matter," Dllenahkh insisted. Darithiven looked at him with pity. "Then, by your definition, this cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/there-are-other-civilised-ways-of-dealing-with-the-matter-dllenahkh/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [ \[T\]he direction of society has been taken over by a type of man who is not interested in the principles of civilisation. Not of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/t-he-direction-of-society-has-been-taken-over-by-a-type-of-man-who-is/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [The direction of society has been taken over by a type of man who is not interested in the principles of civilisation. Not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/the-direction-of-society-has-been-taken-over-by-a-type-of-man-who-is/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [Whatever is fine and permanent in human achievement has been realised through individuals courageously facing the circumstances of their being; and a society is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/whatever-is-fine-and-permanent-in-human-achievement-has-been-realised/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [We are free, we are civilised, to little purpose, if we grudge to any portion of the human race an equal measure of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/we-are-free-we-are-civilised-to-little-purpose-if-we-grudge-to-any/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [“And he judged of others by himself, not believing in what he saw, and always believing that every man had his real, most interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/and-he-judged-of-others-by-himself-not-believing-in-what-he-saw-and/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“To realise the relative validity of one’s convictions and yet stand for them unflinchingly is what distinguishes a civilised man from a barbarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-berlin/to-realise-the-relative-validity-of-one-s-convictions-and-yet-stand/) [Isaiah Berlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-berlin/) ## 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/) > [“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/) > [In the United States, the majority undertakes to supply a multitude of ready-made opinions for the use of individuals, who are thus relieved from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/in-the-united-states-the-majority-undertakes-to-supply-a-multitude-of/) [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 Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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 produces its marvels and that civilised man returns to the savage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexis de Tocqueville" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scattered-palaces-and-hovels-it-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scattered-palaces-and-hovels-it-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_cities_on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scatte_108293.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_cities_on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scatte_108293.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a2/alexis-de-tocqueville-625_cities_on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scatte_108293.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On this waterlogged landscape…are scattered palaces and hovels…It is here that the human spirit becomes…” — 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": "On this waterlogged landscape…are scattered palaces...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scattered-palaces-and-hovels-it-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/on-this-waterlogged-landscape-are-scattered-palaces-and-hovels-it-is/#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 } } ] } ```