Tocqueville on Religion and Liberty

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Zealous Christians are still found among us, whose minds are nurtured on the thoughts that pertain to a future life, and who readily espouse the cause of human liberty as the source of all moral greatness. Christianity, which has declared that all men are equal in the sight of God, will not refuse to acknowledge that all citizens are equal in the eye of the law. But, by a strange coincidence of events, religion has been for a time entangled with those institutions which democracy destroys; and it is not infrequently brought to reject the equality which it loves, and to curse as a foe that cause of liberty whose efforts it might hallow by its alliance.

By the side of these religious men I discern others whose thoughts are turned to earth rather than to heaven. These are the partisans of liberty, not only as the source of the noblest virtues, but more especially as the root of all solid advantages; and they sincerely desire to secure its authority, and to impart its blessings to mankind. It is natural that they should hasten to invoke the assistance of religion, for they must know that liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith. But they have seen religion in the ranks of their adversaries, and they inquire no further; some of them attack it openly, and the rest are afraid to defend it.

Christianity ... will not refuse to acknowledge that all citizens are equal in the eye of the law. But ... it is not infrequently brought ... to curse as a foe that cause of liberty whose efforts it might hallow by its alliance.

I always enjoyed this insight on the complicated relationship between religion and liberty.

So it seems de Tocqueville had his failings as well. It's good to know.

What failing? De T. was dead on right. He had a better grasp of America than most Americans did at the time he visited this country. Many of his insights are still true.

ruveyn

If de Tocqueville said it, then it must be right.

51 is a pretty early age for dementia to set in.

If the quote given is correct he claimed all morality must be derived from faith and by that logic no atheist could be moral. That is obviously and totally wrong.

If the quote given is correct he claimed all morality must be derived from faith and by that logic no atheist could be moral. That is obviously and totally wrong.