A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court

The institution of an aristocracy contrasts with democracy, a central ideal of Americans. The exploitation of a lower class, who have no say in their position, by an idle upper class is in direct conflict with the idealistic vision of American society. In A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Mark Twain attempts to highlight the disconnect between aristocratic rulers and their subject’s strife, the enslavement of lower classes by aristocracies, and the societal benefits of democracy. Throughout the novel the Twain presents the nobility as completely unaware, or uncaring, of its subjects’ struggles. Twain employs slavery to illustrate the aristocracy’s ignorance to the cruelties of their governing. After being captured, and sold, as

For Twain democracy and capitalism was the only just form of society. Democracy was seen by Twain as the only just form of government and of society. The democratic tendencies of the Yankee conflict directly with the societal norms of Arthurian England. Twain holds that monarchies are fundamentally flawed “which is to say they were the nation, the actual Nation; they were about all of it that was useful, or worth saving, or really respectworthy; and to subtract them would have would have been to subtract the Nation and leave behind some dregs, some refuse, in the shape of a king , nobility and gentry…” (Twain 73). Commentary Twain illustrates his view of the uselessness of an aristocratic government. The lower classes do the work while the nobles collect the gain. This open exploitation is in direct conflict to Twain’s democratic ideals. Twain employs his promotion of a capitalist system to free the commoners from the subjugation of the monarchy. Hank's capitalist programs "do have their democratizing purpose, for by turning chivalry and medieval faith into a commercial venture, Hank would be striking a blow at what he considers the primary source of slave mentality" (Royal). Although many of Hank’s reforms are self-serving they also generally done to benefit the society as a whole. Hank has knights peddle items such as soap and stove polish that create a need where one was not, this helps cement and expand his power by promising “continued Growth”