Quote (democratic):

“Amongst democratic nations men easily attain a certain equality of conditions: they can never attain the equality they desire. It perpetually retires from before them, yet without hiding itself from their sight, and in retiring draws them on. At every moment they think they are about to grasp it; it escapes at every moment from their hold. They are near enough to see its charms, but too far off to enjoy them; and before they have fully tasted its delights they die.”

― Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America: Volume 2

Explanation (democratic):

This quote by Alexis de Tocqueville highlights the human desire for equality, which is a fundamental value of democratic societies. However, he argues that while people may achieve a certain level of equality, they can never truly attain the complete equality they desire. This idea of perpetual striving for an unattainable ideal is further emphasized by his comparison of the pursuit of equality to a constantly retreating object that is always visible but never within grasp. In this context, de Tocqueville suggests that the pursuit of equality can become a driving force in human life, but it is ultimately an unfulfilling and ultimately futile pursuit, as it cannot be fully realized before one’s death.

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