In his 19th century text, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville carefully dissected the practice of democracy to better understand what can be expected from such a society. He discussed several troubling aspects of democracy that he feared could result in a state of tyranny, including the power of the majority, the freedom of the press, and the trend toward individualism. Later that same century, Henrik Ibsen’s play, An Enemy of the People, echoed many of Tocqueville’s fears by depicting a society controlled by an arguably mislead majority. While Ibsen’s play does corroborate Tocqueville’s concerns regarding the power of the majority and the press, An Enemy of the People instead frames individualism as a saving grace for the voices of …show more content…
While he confessed his lack of “complete and instantaneous love for the freedom of the press,” he did acknowledge that it was necessary for the “evils is presents much more than for the good it does” (Democracy in America, 172). He described that, if the sovereignty of the people was going to successfully operate, censorship would be “not only a danger, but also a great absurdity” (Democracy in America,173). Despite articulating that a free press is a necessary aspect of society, Tocqueville pointed out that “freedom of the press [made] its power felt...over all opinions of men” and played an active role in modifying the laws and mores of a state. (Democracy in America, 172). While this does not make the press inherently dangerous, he also noted that “when a large number of organ of the press come to advance along the same track, their influence becomes almost irresistible in the long term” (Democracy in America, 178). Under this theory, when the majority of the agents of the press agree and push the same narrative, “public opinion, struck always from the same side, ends by yielding under their blows” (Democracy in America, 178). Given the immense, undeniable influence that the press has over public opinion, Tocqueville conclusively argued that the collective power of the press is second in power only to the
I chose these chapters to read and analyze because they dissect the mind of Tocqueville as he internally weighed the pros and cons of a democracy versus an aristocracy. He displays the positive aspects of a democracy, as well as the negative counterparts, along with what he approves of and what changes he could possibly make to better the American system of government. Coming from an aristocratic background, Tocqueville challenges himself to open his mind to the idea of a legislation ruled by the people. Initially he believes it to be inevitable, and eventually he embraces democracy in America. Tocqueville points out that a democracy is more for humanity than an aristocracy because a democratic government incorporates the interests of the poor
Alexis de Tocqueville's visit to the United States in the early part of the nineteenth century prompted his work Democracy in America, in which he expressed the ability to make democracy work. Throughout his travels Tocqueville noted that private interest and personal gain motivated the actions of most Americans, which in turn cultivated a strong sense of individualism. Tocqueville believed that this individualism would soon "sap the virtue of public life" (395) and create a despotism of selfishness. This growth of despotism would be created by citizens becoming too individualistic, and therefore not bothering to fulfill their civic duties or exercise their freedom. Tocqueville feared that the political order of America would soon become
Tocqueville and Putnam The works of Alexis de Tocqueville have been tested by time, and as we have begun the 21st century, a variety of his ideas have fallen by the wayside as the evolution of American life has left them irrelevant; however, many observations laid out in “Democracy in America”, have proven to hold true to this day. Of these theories authored by Tocqueville, the common theme of individualism allows for the examination of ideas that have retained their relevance, as well as ideas that now hold only historical purposes. Tocqueville’s idea that individualism can be combatted by the doctrine of self-interest rightly understood is relevant today and is supported by Robert Putnam’s discussion on social capital and individual health; while his idea that the newspaper is an effective tool to combat individualism is no longer relevant in today’s society, as discussed in Putnam’s piece on technology and mass media.
Alexis de Tocqueville and James Madison had two distinctly different philosophical views when it came to the problem of “majority tyranny.” In Tocqueville and the Tyranny of the Majority, Morton J. Horwitz discusses in length the writings of the Frenchman when he came to and became fascinated by America. Horowitz argues each man believes the public’s best interests and freedoms were being terrorized. The former (de Tocqueville) believed that society itself is a monster, but the latter (Madison) believed danger came from a temporarily impassioned majority making lasting decisions in government.
Democracy in America has been a guiding principle since the foundation of the country. Many over the years have commented on the structure and formation of democracy but more importantly the implementation and daily function within the democratic parameters that have been set. Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian born July 29, 1805. He is most famously known for his work Democracy in America. Democracy in America has been an evolving social and economic reform, and has continually changed since it’s founding.
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.
Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville includes Tocqueville’s observations on what American society and culture was like during the 1830’s. Throughout his analysis of America, he draws many outlandish and interesting conclusions regarding what life was like during this time period. For example, in Chapter 18, Tocqueville remarks that citizens in democratic societies are independent, which makes them weak and subsequently uninfluential in society. He goes on to say that in order to combat this, associations must be established to combat individualism and to circulate new thoughts and ideas. All in all, Tocqueville’s claim is certainly valid, but only up to a certain point because there were a select few of individuals that were able to make an influence on society without the help from any associations.
The book Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville is about the American way of life and of its government. Tocqueville wrote his book as he was visiting America from his native country France. He writes about the different advantages and dangers of the majority role, which he thought it would be the same and worse as the rule of a monarchy. He analyzed the influence of the different political parties in America and how free press on the government effects the social, political, and economic way of life on the American citizens. During his visit to America he concluded that America is the only invented country in the world.
Tocqueville’s Democracy in America arose out of the desire to understand the underlying reasons behind the difference between French and American democracies. While both societies have had moved towards democracy, New England, which Tocqueville defines as America, seems to be much more successful in organising a stable democratic society. As such, Democracy in America was written with the motive of mapping out how American society was
The founder’s thoughts are echoed from across the Atlantic Ocean as well by a French visitor to America and an English thinker. In his book Democracy in America published in 1835, French historian Alexis de Tocqueville wrote, “Men do not change their characters by uniting with one another; nor does their patience in the presence of obstacles increase with their strength (Majority Rule, 2012).” Throughout his American travels in 1831 and 1832, de Tocqueville saw instances of minority oppression by the force of the majority, especially in regards to the rights of African-Americans. As he watched black people, entitled by law to vote, refuse to do so for fear of retaliation by the white majority standing nearby, de Tocqueville’s ideas of minority rights began to take shape, alluding to the federal protectionist opinion that he later formed; he wrote of the incident in Democracy in America, “Since the majority has the greatest
In the book Freedom for the Thought that we Hate, author Anthony Lewis takes a simply phrased law, the First Amendment and shows how complex freedom of speech really is once put into the real world of freedom, as we know it. He shows through his rejections of absolutism, strong support towards freedom restriction, and objective analysis of Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, that the United States press is unlike any other in the world.
Alexis De Tocqueville's seminal text Democracy in America serves as a prime template of rigidly and explicitly examining the dawn of democratic intellectualism and policies of the United States in the early 19th century. What I will argue is that throughout his text, he is most interested in how the themes of freedom or liberty, and equality have evolved and been implemented in American society from political spheres to more common place social spheres on the level of the general population. Alexis De Tocqueville's main argument is how the United States have perhaps best applied a democratic society while avoiding aristocratic or monarchical frameworks, such as many European nations. De Tocqueville's examination and analysis of American society suggests that he is an advocate of how equality and freedom are handled, but also occasionally warns against possible flaws in the system that could revert into a more unbalanced society, economically and socially speaking. Despite these setbacks, De Tocqueville's optimism over equality and liberty in America prevail.
According to Goode, the grassroots theory argues that the press responds to the biases of the public by reporting stories that are appealing to their readership (Goode, pp. 127). Let’s face it, the news media not only creates an outrage at times with their shocking articles or broadcasts, they
Alexis de Tocqueville was born on July 29, 1805, in Paris, France. He was a historian, political scientist, and a politician, but he is best known as the author of Democracy in America. He began his political career as an apprentice magistrate, a role he was easily able to enter into due to his father’s role in French government. In the role of apprentice magistrate, Tocqueville witnessed the constitutional upheaval between the conservatives and liberals in France. With the inevitable decline of the aristocratic privilege on the horizon, he began to study the English political development. For Tocqueville, the July Revolution of 1830 and the resulting kingship of Louis Philippe of Orleans helped
"Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." This quote by A.J. Liebling illustrates the reality of where the media stands in today's society. Over the past twenty years there has been an increase in power throughout the media with regard to politics. The media's original purpose was to inform the public of the relevant events that occurred around the world. The job of the media is to search out the truth and relay that news to the people. The media has the power to inform the people but often times the stories given to the public are distorted for one reason or another. Using slant and sensationalism, the media has begun to shape our views in society and the process by which