ThepartisansofcentralizationinEuropearewonttomaintainthattheGovernmentdirectstheaffairsofeachlocalitybetterthanthecitizenscoulddoitforthemselves;thismaybetruewhenthecentralpowerisenlightened，andwhenthelocaldistrictsareignorant;whenitisasalertastheyareslow;
whenitisaccustomedtoact，andtheytoobey。Indeed，itisevidentthatthisdoubletendencymustaugmentwiththeincreaseofcentralization，andthatthereadinessoftheoneandtheincapacityoftheothersmustbecomemoreandmoreprominent。
ButIdenythatsuchisthecasewhenthepeopleisasenlightened，asawaketoitsinterests，andasaccustomedtoreflectonthem，astheAmericansare。Iampersuaded，onthecontrary，thatinthiscasethecollectivestrengthofthecitizenswillalwaysconducemoreefficaciouslytothepublicwelfarethantheauthorityoftheGovernment。Itisdifficulttopointoutwithcertaintythemeansofarousingasleepingpopulation，andofgivingitpassionsandknowledgewhichitdoesnotpossess;itis，Iamwellaware，anarduoustasktopersuadementobusythemselvesabouttheirownaffairs;anditwouldfrequentlybeeasiertointeresttheminthepunctiliosofcourtetiquettethanintherepairsoftheircommondwelling。Butwheneveracentraladministrationaffectstosupersedethepersonsmostinterested，Iaminclinedtosupposethatitiseithermisledordesiroustomislead。Howeverenlightenedandhoweverskilfulacentralpowermaybe，itcannotofitselfembraceallthedetailsoftheexistenceofagreatnation。Suchvigilanceexceedsthepowersofman。Andwhenitattemptstocreateandsetinmotionsomanycomplicatedsprings，itmustsubmittoaveryimperfectresult，orconsumeitselfinbootlessefforts。
Centralizationsucceedsmoreeasily，indeed，insubjectingtheexternalactionsofmentoacertainuniformity，whichatleastcommandsourregard，independentlyoftheobjectstowhichitisapplied，likethosedevoteeswhoworshipthestatueandforgetthedeityitrepresents。Centralizationimpartswithoutdifficultyanadmirableregularitytotheroutineofbusiness;
providesforthedetailsofthesocialpolicewithsagacity;