The Tension Between Liberty And Equality

The United States prides itself on being a land of freedom and opportunity. Individuals travel to the United States in hopes to utilize every advantage that life in America will bring. In Democracy in America, Alexis De Tocqueville divulges into his interpretations of the inner workings of the United States and what truly makes it so unique from its European counterparts.

Alexis de Tocqueville, in Democracy in America, initiated a trend in American studies by examining the shift from aristocracy to democracy. This new world run by the people and not by kings was fascinating at the time and very different, thus making America unique. Democracy was especially a source of pride in America because it actually worked unlike in other places, like France. Tocqueville states, “The government democracy brings the notion of political rights to the level of the humblest citizens, just as the dissemination of wealth brings the notion of property within the reach of all the members of the community; and I confess that, to my mind, this is one of its greatest advantages.” This became a catalyst for a shift in American studies because essentially

And this belief is what motivated his deep interest in America, his visit persuaded him that America had achieved in a peaceful and natural way almost complete equality of conditions. He said if we understand America, we could not only understand what democracy means, but in a way even take a look into the world’s future. He wrote, “ I confess, that in America I saw more than America; I sought the image of democracy itself, with its inclinations, its character, its prejudices, and its passions, in order to learn what we have to fear or hope from its progress.” (Democracy in America Volume I) He thought he saw the outlines of a new kind of society, which would slowly become that kind of society for the rest of the world. He saw at first hand democratized society. America became somewhat apprehensive of what they thought. America achieved its independence and many of the French supported America. Many Frenchmen learned their lesson when they came here and then they went back and began. Tocqueville saw the industrial revolution the enlightenment, and the

Alexis de Tocqueville delivers a unique observation and perspective on the development of American identity. As a distinguished aristocratic Frenchman, Tocqueville does not use this book as an argument for anything, but rather he uses it as an opportunity to inspect American character and its evolving identity. He treats democracy in the United States comprehensively in order to relate it to Americas history, national life, and perspectives toward freedom. Throughout this novel, Tocqueville targets two important areas of subject. First, he examines the structure of government and the institutions that help to maintain freedom. Secondly, he focuses

The state of American politics is clearly unique, given its early focus on democracy in a world of monarchical and aristocratic governments. As it was a seemingly ideal government, it had its shortcomings, as Kammen describes. Tocqueville, on the other hand, argues for the positive side of American politics, that the lack of superiority eventually contributed to the democratic republic that the United States eventually became.

Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America is a 1835 masterpiece about the growth of democracy and the gradual disappearance of aristocracy. In attempts to help the French understand the concept about this new form of government, he wrote the document talking about the New World where the people rule instead of the nobles and kings. Two main differentiations are discussed: selfishness versus individualism and aristocracy versus democracy.

With Limitless power and authority Tocqueville felt majority rule would quickly turn into tyranny and that Minority interests would be bypassed because of the majorities’ moral beliefs. Majority tyranny would by empowered over time by a legislation empowered by majority friendly legislators being elected by the majority. Under these circumstances the concerns of the minority would always be dismissed in favor of Majority

Liberty is a state of entire freedom - in thought, practice, mores, etc. Tocqueville argues that Liberty is a boundary, an imaginative idea, and almost an unreachable goal in the Democratic state of America. Tocqueville

"Democracy in America" was Alexis De Tocqueville's observation of American political character. His 1830s view on the laws are different now in the 21st century. De Tocqueville adds his view of property,power, and religion. He states that in 1830 "the democracy which governs American communities appears to be rapidly rising into power in Europe" thus became the idea behind Democracy in America. I figuratively sat down with Alexis De Tocqueville to talk about his views in Democracy in America and told him how different or similar some are to our democracy now.

One reason he believed that democracy may be a poor fit for Europe is that European is more complicated in comparison to American Society therefore not providing adequate conditions for observation. One of the ways that Europe is seen by Tocqueville to be complicated in as mentioned in”

Democracy in America, De Tocqueville thinks America has a tyranny of the majority. The United States government ruled by a majority can pass a law to follow their own will but, opposing views of a minority become immediately silenced and oppressed. One important question brought to point in Democracy in America states, kings or dictators can do as they please at their own will but, what is stopping the majority that truly rules the government in America from doing this as well? There is nothing, provided the sovereignty of the nation lies in the hands of the majority. In addition to this a tyrannical public overwhelms the opinions of the minorities. Nevertheless, these notions of the minority will become subjugated at the fear of becoming shunned

In my opinion, political liberty and citizen equality are simultaneously displayed (Wayne, 2014, p. 11-16). Political liberty is basically the right to express how you feel freely and successfully concerning the current government you are a citizen of (Wayne, 2014, p. 11-16). On the other hand, citizen equality varies on the theme of the topic (Phillips, 2015). Political liberty and citizen equality are essential building blocks to a country (Wayne, 2014, p. 11-16). In the practice of democratic citizenship, both political liberty and citizen equality help to run the republic of America (Wayne, 2014, p. 11-16).

Regardless of his influences, Tocqueville’s most serious concern is that democracy may give rise to certain forms of despotism. “Without local institutions…the despotic tendencies which have been driven into the interior of the social body will sooner or later break out on the surface.” In the introductory chapter to “Democracy in America,” Tocqueville expresses his famous opinion that the movement of the history of Christendom over the course of the previous 700 years has invariably been in the direction of democratic equality. This is the foundation of Tocqueville’s “inevitability theory.” He implies that democracy in inevitable in the same way that the spread of civilization and enlightenment are inevitable.

According to Tocqueville, the inclination of democratic citizens to retreat from public affairs is a cancerous and disastrous propensity. He writes, “Individualism is a mature and calm feeling, which disposes each member of the community to sever himself from the mass of his fellow-creatures; and to draw apart with his family and his friends; so that after he has thus formed a little circle of his own, he willingly leaves society at large to itself” (618). As the results of this propensity, Tocqueville foresees the fate of America and other democratic nations as a world in which, “an innumerable multitude of men all equal and alike, incessantly endeavoring to procure the petty and paltry pleasures with which they glut their lives. Each of them, living apart, is as a stranger to the fate of all the rest . . . Above this

In Democracy in America, written by Alexis De Tocqueville, numerous notions of threats claim to be dangerous to the relatively new democratic government of the United States. Yet, one threat endangers the democratic system of government the most, which is the tyranny of the majority. The American democracy is one that contains many great freedoms, including equality amongst all people. Citizens have the freedom to form their own opinions and say anything they want, regardless of what others think. Therefore, why does Tocqueville stress that the tyranny of the majority and how could this overthrow America’s democratic government? Tocqueville stresses the equality of every citizen’s opinion, which therefore asserts that nobody has a better opinion than someone else. The only opinion that seems to have any impact is that of the majority, because why would the opinion of the minority be better than the majority? Tocqueville claims that the people will always favor the majority, which in turn will lead to a tyranny of that majority. The tyranny of majority occurs through popular opinion, no true freedom of thought, and powerful legislative politicians who only create laws to please the majority. However, there are a few factors that mitigate this tyranny, including a decentralized administration of the majority, lawyers and their power within the judiciary branch, and how the power of a jury teaches citizens their freedoms.