--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Jefferson's mind democracy was…" description: "\"In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount to extreme individualism.\" — Herbert Croly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/herbert-croly-17992_democracy_in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantam_1950370.jpg" --- # In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount to extreme… ![“In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount to extreme individualism.” quote by Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/herbert-croly-17992_democracy_in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantam_1950370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/herbert-croly-17992_democracy_in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantam_1950370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/herbert-croly-17992_democracy_in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantam_1950370.jpg) > “In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount to extreme individualism.” [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy, in his view, equates to extreme individualism, risking social cohesion. **In simple terms:** Democracy can become extreme individualism. Key Takeaway Balance individual rights with community. Themes individualism democracy society Mood analytical critical Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - policy making - community projects - education curricula Key Concepts political philosophy social contract Questions to Reflect On - How can societies foster collective responsibility? - What limits should be placed on individual freedoms? A Different Perspective Too much individualism can erode solidarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Tantamount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-tantamount-3058679/) [Extreme Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extreme-individualism-1722745/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Individualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individualism/) [Jefferson Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jefferson-mind-1694918/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-democracy-431532/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Surrealism - in particular with Salvador Dali - was all about ego. It was all about extreme individualism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/surrealism-in-particular-with-salvador-dali-was-all-about-ego-it-was/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [We can just as little afford to follow the doctrinaires of an extreme individualism as the doctrinaires of an extreme socialism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/we-can-just-as-little-afford-to-follow-the-doctrinaires-of-an-extreme/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“The surest defense against Evil is extreme individualism, originality of thinking, whimsicality, even—if you will—eccentricity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/the-surest-defense-against-evil-is-extreme-individualism-originality/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [One of the first things we must get rid of is the idea that democracy is tantamount to capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-first-things-we-must-get-rid-of-is-the-idea-that-democracy/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“In Jefferson's mind great historical leaps forward were almost always the product of a purging, which freed societies from the accumulated debris of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/in-jefferson-s-mind-great-historical-leaps-forward-were-almost-always/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [In whose delusional mind is democracy made 'better' by allowing wealthy people to control more of it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/in-whose-delusional-mind-is-democracy-made-better-by-allowing-wealthy/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [“Keep in mind that democracy merely gives power to the people; it does not ensure that power will be used wisely or humanely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/keep-in-mind-that-democracy-merely-gives-power-to-the-people-it-does/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [The surest defense against Evil is extreme individualism, originality of thinking, whimsicality, even - if you will - eccentricity. That is, something that can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/the-surest-defense-against-evil-is-extreme-individualism-originality-2/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [All greatness of character is dependent on individuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/all-greatness-of-character-is-dependent-on-individuality/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. It has no real place for fairness, malevolence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-daly/the-individualism-of-current-economic-theory-is-manifest-in-the/) [Herman E. Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-daly/) > [In many ways, the young are more religiously minded than the older generations. I think it's the flip side of an age of individualism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-nichols/in-many-ways-the-young-are-more-religiously-minded-than-the-older/) [Vincent Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-nichols/) > [Liberty ... was a two-headed boon. There was first, the liberty of the people as a whole to determine the forms of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/liberty-was-a-two-headed-boon-there-was-first-the-liberty-of-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [When he has seen, that it is not his, nor any man's, but it is the soul which made the world, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/when-he-has-seen-that-it-is-not-his-nor-any-man-s-but-it-is-the-soul/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I have visited sweatshops, factories, and crowded slums. If I could not see it, I could smell it. The foundation of society is laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/i-have-visited-sweatshops-factories-and-crowded-slums-if-i-could-not/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“In addition to the transience of their members, churches themselves face a crisis of hypermobility. Many churches have put down only shallow roots in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-christopher-smith/in-addition-to-the-transience-of-their-members-churches-themselves/) [C. Christopher Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-christopher-smith/) ## More by Herbert Croly > [The average American is nothing if not patriotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-average-american-is-nothing-if-not-patriotic/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [The national school is not a lecture hall or a library. Its schooling consists chiefly in experimental collective action aimed at the realization of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-national-school-is-not-a-lecture-hall-or-a-library-its-schooling/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [The adoption by Jefferson and the Republicans of the political structure of their opponents is of an importance hardly inferior to that of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-adoption-by-jefferson-and-the-republicans-of-the-political/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [If it be true that democracy is based upon the assumption that every man shall serve his fellow man, the organization of democracy should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/if-it-be-true-that-democracy-is-based-upon-the-assumption-that-every/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [When the Promise of American life is conceived as a national ideal, whose fulfillment is a matter of artful and laborious work, the effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/when-the-promise-of-american-life-is-conceived-as-a-national-ideal/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [The combination of Federalism and Republicanism which formed the substance of the system, did not constitute a progressive and formative political principle, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-combination-of-federalism-and-republicanism-which-formed-the/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [Democracy may mean something more than a theoretically absolute popular government, but it assuredly cannot mean anything less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/democracy-may-mean-something-more-than-a-theoretically-absolute/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [When Jefferson and the Republicans rallied to the Union and to the existing Federalist organization, the fabric of traditional American democracy was almost completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/when-jefferson-and-the-republicans-rallied-to-the-union-and-to-the/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [The years between 1800 and 1825 were distinguished, so far as our domestic development was concerned, by the growth of the Western pioneer Democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-years-between-1800-and-1825-were-distinguished-so-far-as-our/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [The Constitution was the expression not only of a political faith, but also of political fears. It was wrought both as the organ of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-constitution-was-the-expression-not-only-of-a-political-faith-but/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [The only fruitful promise of which the life of any individual or any nation can be possessed, is a promise determined by an ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-only-fruitful-promise-of-which-the-life-of-any-individual-or-any/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [Unless the great majority of Americans not only have, but believe they have, a fair chance, the better American future will be dangerously compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/unless-the-great-majority-of-americans-not-only-have-but-believe-they/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [Of course, Americans have no monopoly of patriotic enthusiasm and good faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/of-course-americans-have-no-monopoly-of-patriotic-enthusiasm-and-good/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [The majority of men cannot be made disinterested for life by exhortation, by religious services, by any expenditure of subsidized works, or even by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/the-majority-of-men-cannot-be-made-disinterested-for-life-by/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) > [Democracy must stand or fall on a platform of possible human perfectibility. If human nature cannot be improved by institutions, democracy is at best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/democracy-must-stand-or-fall-on-a-platform-of-possible-human/) [Herbert Croly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) [Explore all 36 Herbert Croly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/) ## More Democracy quotes > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [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/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/) [Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount to extreme individualism.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herbert Croly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantamount-to-extreme-individualism/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Democracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantamount-to-extreme-individualism/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/herbert-croly-17992_democracy_in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantam_1950370.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/herbert-croly-17992_democracy_in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantam_1950370.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/herbert-croly-17992_democracy_in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantam_1950370.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount to extreme individualism.” — Herbert Croly", "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": "Herbert Croly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-croly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In Jefferson's mind democracy was tantamount...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantamount-to-extreme-individualism/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-croly/in-jefferson-s-mind-democracy-was-tantamount-to-extreme-individualism/#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 } } ] } ```