--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thus our democracy was from an early…" description: "\"Thus our democracy was from an early period the most aristocratic, and our aristocracy the most democratic.\" — Thomas B. Macaulay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_aristocracy_thus-our-democracy-was-from-an-early-per_564121.png" --- # Thus our democracy was from an early period the most… ![“Thus our democracy was from an early period the most aristocratic, and our aristocracy the most democratic.” quote by Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_aristocracy_thus-our-democracy-was-from-an-early-per_564121.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_aristocracy_thus-our-democracy-was-from-an-early-per_564121.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b2/thomas-b-macaulay-1980_aristocracy_thus-our-democracy-was-from-an-early-per_564121.png) > “Thus our democracy was from an early period the most aristocratic, and our aristocracy the most democratic.” [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy and aristocracy are interlinked, each influencing the other’s nature. **In simple terms:** Power structures affect each other. Key Takeaway Recognize the fluidity of political systems. Themes politics history social structure Mood analytical thoughtful Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - government formation - class relations - policy making Key Concepts elite influence popular sovereignty Questions to Reflect On - How do modern democracies reflect aristocratic traits? - Can aristocracy ever be truly democratic? A Different Perspective Historical contexts may differ, limiting direct comparison. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aristocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) [Aristocratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocratic/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) ## Related quotes > [The culture of the United States has flooded the world. It's the inevitable result of a powerful culture, art. 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Nobody should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/the-russian-people-have-unilaterally-made-their-choice-in-direction/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [When there is a parliamentarian crisis, the only solution in a democracy is early elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petro-poroshenko/when-there-is-a-parliamentarian-crisis-the-only-solution-in-a/) [Petro Poroshenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petro-poroshenko/) > [In virtually every Continental state at this time, aristocracies had to live with the risk that their property might be pillaged or confiscated. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/in-virtually-every-continental-state-at-this-time-aristocracies-had/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [To make Democracy work, you need an aristocratic democracy. To make Aristocracy work, you need a democratic aristocracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/to-make-democracy-work-you-need-an-aristocratic-democracy-to-make/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [ I hope we shall . . . crush in \[its\] birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-hope-we-shall-crush-in-its-birth-the-aristocracy-of-our-monied-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“What I have said, and still believe with ever-increasing conviction, is that human society is always, whether it will or no, aristocratic by its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/what-i-have-said-and-still-believe-with-ever-increasing-conviction-is/) [José Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [“The truth was that, with the Duchess de Luxembourg, with Mme de Morienval, Mme de Saint-Euverte and any number of others, the features that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-truth-was-that-with-the-duchess-de-luxembourg-with-mme-de/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [History is the most aristocratic of all literary pursuits, because it obliges the historian to be rich as well as educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/history-is-the-most-aristocratic-of-all-literary-pursuits-because-it/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [One main condition of aristocratic life was present in the South and not in the North--personal responsibility to other human beings for education and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/one-main-condition-of-aristocratic-life-was-present-in-the-south-and/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [It will be said that the joy of mental adventure must be rare, that there are few who can appreciate it, and that ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-will-be-said-that-the-joy-of-mental-adventure-must-be-rare-that/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Where there is no danger of overt action there is rarely any interference with freedom. That is why there has so often been amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/where-there-is-no-danger-of-overt-action-there-is-rarely-any/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Aristocratic depression has this cosmic dimension to it, where it's asking these big questions about, "Why?" "What is the purpose of all this?" Neuroses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-douglas/aristocratic-depression-has-this-cosmic-dimension-to-it-where-it-s/) [Lawrence Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-douglas/) > [“I have an aristocratic smile and like to punch people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-have-an-aristocratic-smile-and-like-to-punch-people/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) ## More by Thomas B. 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Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Ambrose Phillips . . . who had the honor of bringing into fashion a species of composition which has been called, after his name, Namby Pamby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/ambrose-phillips-who-had-the-honor-of-bringing-into-fashion-a-species/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [In the infancy of civilization, when our island was as savage as New Guinea, when letters and arts were still unknown to Athens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/in-the-infancy-of-civilization-when-our-island-was-as-savage-as-new/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [In truth it may be laid down as an almost universal rule that good poets are bad critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/in-truth-it-may-be-laid-down-as-an-almost-universal-rule-that-good/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [He had a head which statuaries loved to copy, and a foot the deformity of which the beggars in the streets mimicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/he-had-a-head-which-statuaries-loved-to-copy-and-a-foot-the-deformity/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The Spartan, smiting and spurning the wretched Helot, moves our disgust. But the same Spartan, calmly dressing his hair, and uttering his concise jests,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/the-spartan-smiting-and-spurning-the-wretched-helot-moves-our-disgust/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) [Explore all 193 Thomas B. 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Not an aristocracy of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/i-believe-in-aristocracy-though-if-that-is-the-right-word-and-if-a/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [Tomorrow every Duchess in London will be waiting to kiss me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsay-macdonald/tomorrow-every-duchess-in-london-will-be-waiting-to-kiss-me/) [Ramsay MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsay-macdonald/) > [“Why do these big old country houses always have family portraits in the dining room? 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