"De Tocqueville thought it remarkable how often Americans joined
together in various organizations which he called associations.
"Americans of all ages, all stations of life and all types of
disposition are forever forming associations," he wrote. "There are not
only commercial and industrial associations in which all take part, but
others of a thousand types-religious, moral, serious, futile, very
general and very limited, immensely large and very minute."
De Tocqueville went on to observe that Americans naturally formed
groups when they wanted to hold a celebration, found a church, build a
school, distribute books or do almost anything else. "Finally, if they
want to proclaim a truth or propagate some feeling ...they form an
association. In every case, at the head of any new undertaking, where in
France you would find the government ... in the United States you are
sure to find an association."
https://www.crf-usa.org/election-central/de-tocqueville-america.html
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