"What is most important for democracy is not that great fortunes should not exist, but that great fortunes should not remain in the same hands. In that way there are rich men, but they do not form a class"

This quote by Alexis de Tocqueville speaks to the value of democracy and the need for a level playing field. He is suggesting that it is not necessarily a bad thing for people to have fantastic fortunes, however it is very important that those fortunes are not focused in the hands of a couple of. By doing this, the rich are not able to form a class and create an unequal society. De Tocqueville is highlighting the importance of having a society where everyone has an equal opportunity to be successful and where the rich are unable to utilize their money to acquire an unfair benefit. He is recommending that democracy is finest served when the wealth is spread out amongst the population, rather than focused in the hands of a few.