What most astonishes me in the United States, is not so much the marvelous grandeur of some undertakings, as the innumerable multitude of small ones.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author is amazed by the sheer number of small initiatives in the United States, more than any single grand undertaking.
- In plain terms
- He marvels at many modest projects.
- What can you take from it?
- Small efforts collectively shape a nation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What small actions have big effects?
- How can we balance small and large initiatives?
Another view
Focusing on quantity may overlook quality or impact of larger projects.
More from Alexis de Tocqueville
Laws are always unstable unless they are founded on the manners of a nation; and manners are the only durable and resisting power in a people.
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