In Democracy in America, by Alexis de Tocqueville, the author provides a comparison between a despot government and a direct democracy. Although Tocqueville begins by affirming the benefits of a despot government in administration, Tocqueville is in favor of a democratic government. Tocqueville argues that democratic liberty, although not as consistent due to its multiple inputs, will outlast and produce a political drive that is lacking within despot governments. However, although not specifically stated in the passage, Tocqueville is not in favor of a direct democracy, but rather a democratic republic, with the comparison acting as a precursor to Tocqueville’s argument for a democratic republic. Ultimately, the comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of a despot government and a …show more content…
Upon the second half of the paragraph Tocqueville reaffirms the strengths of a despot government, but affirms the strengths of democratic liberty over a despot. Tocqueville states democratic liberty may often lead to abandonment of objectives before reaching the fruits of their labor or chooses to take action on dangerous ones. However, in the grand scheme, Tocqueville claims that a democratic liberty outlasts a despot and although it is not as effective it produces more than a despot. The statement illustrates the weakness of democratic liberty through ever-changing goals and dangerous goals put into action by the people, but introduces Tocqueville’s argument for a democratic government. Tocqueville argues that democratic liberty outlasts a despot, as a government run by the people will continue to have people to run the government. In contrast, a despot's government changes with the death of every leader and it is not a guarantee that the same governance of one despot will continue with the next
Alexis de Tocqueville, a French aristocrat, traveled to the United States in 1831 to study the American democratic system (“Democracy in America”). While in America, Tocqueville developed a perceptive interest in the sentiments and mechanisms behind American practices, which he documented in his two-part book Democracy in America. One particular observance Tocqueville chronicled was American literature and language. A quote from Tocqueville in Democracy in America that consolidates his research into
In the book, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville discusses a wide range of topics, with a prevalent topic being American attitudes and the democratic values of equality and freedom. But, there are some threats to the ideal democracy everyone visualizes when they think of America. These are mass society, democratic despotism and extremes of wealth and poverty. Tocqueville suggests multiple solutions to these issues, such as increasing judiciary power, utilizing social institutions to increase
Tocqueville was a Frenchman who was interested in America and its democratic design. He spoke of his observations about America in his book, Democracy in America. Tocqueville’s attitudes towards Americans seem to be very appreciative. He saw democracy as a perfect balance between freedom and equality. Yet, while he is appreciative, he is also quite critical of some of the effects of democracy in America. Tocqueville believed that there were some faults with democracy and states them in his book.
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
Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, much is said on the great freedoms experienced by whites, but little does it mention the freedoms experienced by free blacks at the time. It does, however, give a small glimpse of it. In his book, de Tocqueville describes his conversation with an inhabitant of Pennsylvania. He questioned the man, asking how a state founded on Quaker principles could deny a free black to vote. When the man denied such accusation, de Tocqueville asked why no Negro was then
Democratic Governments According to Tocqueville Democracy in America was written by Tocqueville to see how such a stable and prosperous democracy as America worked and to see why attempts at democratic government in France had failed so disastrously. The theme of the (often disorganised) book that emerges is how liberty is best preserved in the midst of the growing equality of conditions present in America. Tocqueville outlines many of the advantages he sees in democracy from the point of view of
men’s foolishness. Alexis de Tocqueville and John Locke also work to explore the status of women in relation to men. Like the women of Love’s Labor’s Lost, women in Tocqueville’s Democracy in America are superior to men. Unlike Shakespeare, Tocqueville portrays women as superior to men as instillers of democratic mores. He also argues that in order to have this superiority, women must place themselves in the inferior position within marriage. Furthermore, Tocqueville maintains the equality of the
Alexis De Tocqueville painted a portrait of a flourishing democracy within the text, Democracy in America. Tocqueville proposed that equality was one of the fundamental tenets that aided the success of American democracy. He defined equality of conditions as the end of aristocracy: “the noble has fallen on the social ladder, and the commoner has risen; the one descends, the other climbs. Each half century brings them nearer, and soon they are going to touch” (Democracy in America, book, 6). American
Alexis deTocqueville Alexis de Tocqueville was born in Paris on July 29th, 1805. Growing up in Metz, France, the youngest child of Hervé Tocqueville and Mlle. De Rosanbo, he showed great intellectual promise from his earliest days. By the age of 16, his academic career was a brilliant one, his schoolwork earning him a special prize and two first prizes. He was an avid reader, reading books hardly accessible to a boy of his young age. It was during these years that he developed his critical
nations to have a democratic revolution. With America being a successful democratic country after its revolution, it drew attention domestically and internationally. Domestically, the creation of the new Constitution, after the failure of Articles of Confederation, raised questions in representation and federal power, which led to the creation of The Federalist Papers by the James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. Decades later, Alexis de Tocqueville, a French nobleman, visited the United States
hardly an important event in the last seven hundred years which has not turned out to be advantageous for equality.”(11) Democracy, or as defined by Alexis De Tocqueville “equality of conditions” arose due to various seemingly unrelated events; which played an immense role in shaping the world we live in today. Tocqueville accentuates the parallel between the rise of democracy and the formation of equality, which arose due to the disintegration of aristocracy as well as the establishment of democratic
In Democracy in America, Alexis De Tocqueville explains the dangers of democracy and explains the virtues that temper these dangers. In this paper, I will look at two issues Tocqueville discussed extensively in late 19th century American democracy and posit what Tocqueville may say about these issues today. The points I will discuss are materialism and religion. In a democracy, such as America, the individual’s opportunity to succeed makes him more likely to become attached to material and money
America is viewed around the world as the land of opportunities, where anyone willing to work hard and help their neighbor is welcomed with open arms. The one thing that many seek out of the United States is the equality and natural rights bestowed upon all in the Bill of Rights. Alexis de Tocqueville, a French diplomat, wrote about the United States and the basic founding principles of its democracy as well as how the people of America utilize their rights to create a better common good for everyone
Democracy, the form of government that is emerging exponentially around the globe, does not, to the bewilderment of many, protect against tyranny (252). This notion echoes throughout Alexis de Tocqueville’s two-volume work, Democracy in America. Tocqueville is careful to explain that there is no perfect government. Consequently, the strength of freedom associated with democracy can easily be displaced; such power can be usurped by an unkind and unjust majority, resulting in tyranny, not the liberty
As it turns out, Alexis de Tocqueville had a great many ideas and views on the different aspects of democracy in America. Everything from political parties in the United States to freedom of the press and the principal causes of maintaining a Democratic Republic were on the table for discussion. It must have been quite shocking for the American of the time to read Democracy in America after it was translated. Tocqueville had many opinionated views that directly clashed with the ideals of the typical