...Alexis de Tocqueville was a French sociologist and political theorist who traveled to the United States in 1831. He returned with a wealth of broader observations that he organized in “Democracy in America”, observations on equality and individualism. He came to America to imagine a future democratic society. His first observation was that innumerable multitude of men, all equal and alike, incessantly endeavoring to procure the petty and paltry pleasures with which they glut their lives. Tocqueville brings up points of how all men leading different lives, talking how we all are strangers to the fate of others. How our lives only revolve around our close family rather than both close family and “the whole of mankind”. He then brings up points of how the supposed friends, we know they are there but never acknowledge it, “he is close to them, but he does not see them; he touches...
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...Alexis De Tocqueville believes that African Americans and White people should be equal, however when rights were given to the African Americans there was still a divide between the two races. Racial inequality did not only happen in Alexis De Tocqueville’s era, however it occurred from the Civil Rights Movement and current time. Police brutality occurs a lot in recent years because of racial tension occurring between a white police officer and an African American male. These occurrences happen in the low-income neighborhoods because crime rates are higher. African American people are in lower income neighbors because of racial inequality in workplaces and society. In society, African American are hired far less than any other minority individual in this country...
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...The above quote relays the ways exploitative rhetoric used by 1960’s politicians created fear among whites. As well as a foreshadowment of the analogous issues in the 1980s. Moreover the introduction of harsher sentencing due to the white’s public fear illustrates the effects the majority and public opinion have on dominating the minority. Tocqueville stated, “In all the American republics the central government is only occupied with a small number of matters important enough to attract its attention. It does not undertake to regulate society’s secondary concerns, and there is no indication of that has ever conceived the desire to do so.” (Tocqueville 262) The basis of the above quote reveals the government's tendency to appease the primary...
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...Alexis De Tocqueville recognizes both the distinctiveness of the American Judicial Branch when compared to foreign national courts, and the great powers judicial review possesses. It is safe to assume that Tocqueville viewed the Federal Court in a very positive light; he believed that the judicial branch forms “one of the most powerful barriers that has ever been raised against the tyranny of political assemblies” (pg 98). Tocqueville repeatedly praises the court. In addition to making the claim that the federal court holds the future of America in their hands, by wielding the “moral force” that creates order. Moreover, Tocqueville expands this argument by clarifying to the reader the two means in which a government can “[Defeat] the resistance that the governed oppose to them” (pg 131), or in other words, to restore order....
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...Tocqueville on Material Well-Being One’s possessions may become an important aspect of their life where people constantly desire more belongings. In a democracy, citizens crave a sense of material well-being. This unique feature of the democracy leads to individuals attempting to acquire more and more without achieving satisfaction with what they already own. People spend their money to obtain belongings rather than saving it. Unlike in an aristocracy, everyone must work for their earnings making individuals place greater significance on the possessions bought with their income. Democratic citizens, more than those in other types of government, value material items because of a restless need for more, and a middle class fueling comparisons...
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...Definition Essay: Democracy Read the following quotations: “There are two things which a democratic people will always find very difficult – to begin a war and to end it.” Alexis de Tocqueville (French Historian and Political Scientist, 1805-1859) “Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either [aristocracy or monarchy]. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” John Adams (Second President of the United States) “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.” Abraham Lincoln (Sixteenth President of the United States) “Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” George Bernard Shaw (Irish Playwright and Essayist, 1856-1950) Write an essay in which you define the word Democracy. Basic Requirements: o Introduction paragraph with thesis statement (HINT: This thesis statement will propose your definition of the word Democracy.) o 2-3 body paragraphs that correlate with your thesis statement and support your definition o A concluding paragraph that reminds me of your key points and effectively argues your definition As you write your essay, you must: o Focus on defining the concept of Democracy. o Effectively organize your ideas using the provided graphic organizer. (A five-paragraph essay is not necessary; however, you do need a definite introduction, body and conclusion.) o Include supporting...
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...Tyranny and American Democracy Oppression is something dreaded by everyone. This universal fear was a much larger problem in the 1800’s than it is today. Tyranny was a fear that the Federalists, Anti-Federalists, and Alexis de Tocqueville had in common. The Federalists feared tyranny of the majority, or faction while the Anti-Federalists feared tyranny of the aristocracy. Tocqueville feared “soft despotism” but supported tyranny of the patriarchy. While the Federalist and the Anti-Federalists were the visionaries for America who tried to prevent different tyrannies, Tocqueville discusses the hypocrisies in America that the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists were against. The Federalists strongly believed that the newly founded republic needed a large, centralized government in order to discourage tyranny of the majority. Hamilton voices this opinion when he says “a firm Union will be of the utmost moment to the peace and liberty of the States as a barrier against domestic faction and insurrection.” (Hamilton, 66, Federalist No. 9) This is because a large, centralized government uses the system of the checks and balances, which prevent domestic faction and revolt. The Federalists made it clear that they opposed a mob ruling and the minorities being denied their rights. The main danger the new republic faced, they argued, was the superior force of an “interested and overbearing majority.” (Madison, 72, No. 10) The Federalists solution on how to deal with majority faction...
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...within the culture. The image of the Erie Canal Workers shows the change from an earlier ideal of American life and labor, where ones labor was to be used to work and cultivate your own land to sustain your own living. This image of the Erie Canal workers shows the exact opposite of this self owned concept for labor. All of these men are essentially being used as machines, good for nothing but labor, to work and make use of the land owned by someone else, for someone else's profit. The fruits of their labor would not be actual fruits as they might previously have been, but a monetary amount, to be budgeted as best as possible to buy things from other people. This dependence on others and this early establishment of a working class. Tocqueville connects with this idea when he discusses the tyranny of the majority, “within a democracy organized as the United States, only one power is encountered, only one source of strength and success, with nothing outside them[1].” This describes the amount of power in the hands of the...
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...Alexis de Tocqueville and Karl Marx, a discussion on their ideas as well as a comparison of the two thinkers. Alexis de Tocqueville is an aristocrat thinker From France that provides the most famous and influential views on democracy. In his work “Democracy in America”, he regards America as a land of liberty and democracy due to reasons like mores, geographical and historical advantages, but also provides a foresight on the future of democracy in America, and the threats to democracy and possible dangers of democracy. He believes the puritans were the one that contributed the most to American democracy, since they were all middle-class men with no salient differences when they first settled down in America. Also, they brought religion and political liberty to Amercia. Marx and Tocqueville holds different views on human nature. For Marx, he reflected on what it means to be truly human. Since he thinks that all species-beings are communal beings, he disaprroves things like religion, wage-labour and other forms of alienation that bring us far away from our communal nature and we must overcome them. For tocqueville, he emphazied a lot on dignity and liberty and he thinks that we are all born free and that we have the ability to be the best judge of our own lives. Moreoever, we have natural rights given by gods and that we have liberty and we should respect the rights of others at the same time. Besides, their visions on the future of society are also different. For Tocqueville, he believes...
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...Case study: Michael Novak: Capitalism and the corporation The problem investigated is the growth of corporations and capitalism to the extent that they become unavoidably inseparable in order to maintain a cohesive, civil society. Corporations have been with humanity since the beginning of organized government. Capitalism can be loosely defined as the economic freedom to allow for the building of wealth, both individually and corporately. In order to provide for that freedom, governments must be in one accord with corporations to that end. Adam Smith’s writings tell us in the course of history that countries may finally become a “Nation of Commerce” as part of a natural progression. He further suggests an individual’s economy is inevitably woven into the fabric of society and that fabric should be allowed to grow without the interference of politics, which we can fairly judge as governments of all kinds (Smith, 1776). To this point, both Smith and Novak concur that, “sources of private capital and private wealth, independent of the state, are crucial to the survival of liberty”. (Novak, 1997, p. 32) The American corporation faces the responsibility of creating a social good beyond the four reasons given by Michael Novak. First, it creates jobs. Second, it provides desirable goods and services. Third, through its profits it creates wealth that did not exist before. Fourth, it is a private social instrument, independent of the state, for the moral and material support of other...
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...Understanding the credibility of a source is important for succeeded in writing clear and accurate papers. This assignment showed me that some sources can easily be manipulated to insert one’s own opinion, which can lead to misinterpretations of the facts. Not only did I find sources that where bad, I begun to understand what a good source looks like. The majority of these sources seemed to come from either books or scholarly databases. The first question I answered was “who wrote that the people get the government that they deserve?”. I found this answer on a website called the Big Apple. Alexis de Tocqueville wrote this statement in his book called Democracy in America. The source I found this information from did not seem credible. The website was not from a dot mil or org domain. Also, the website sited the majority of its content from Wikipedia. This leads me to question much of its content. The second question I answered was “How were the colleges Smith, Bryn Mawr, Radcliffe, Vassar, and others collectively known?” I found a book on the subject by using the search engine Google scholar. This Guides to Educational Planning contained information on how to plan for your college experience and succeed. This book had great information on the Seven Sisters, the answer to the question. The third question I answered was “who first invented the modern concept of city police and what were or are they called?”. The answer to this question was the Romans. The information...
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...revolution in its complexity, and the degree of the impact it inflicts on the societies and cultures. We well remember from our history lessons what the Industrial Revolution has done to the people of 18th, and 19th Century Americas and the Europe. In the end a great society had been built, but the price of it was rather high. Armesto, F.F. (2008) The World a Brief History. “Industrialization uprooted lives, disrupted families, and imposed bleak working conditions in cities rife with filth and disease. Visiting the British city of Manchester in 1835 , Alexis de Tocqueville, considered the greatest social analyst of his time, recoiled from factories that keep air and light out of human habitations which they dominate; they envelop them in perpetual fog here is the slave , there is the master; there is the wealth to some here the poverty of most.” Yet she wrote, “From this filthy sewer, pure gold flows.” Alexis de Tocqueville words still apply to the majority of the world’s population; since the majority lives in a perpetual poverty; poverty even greater, from the time when the globalization process picked up its momentum in 1990’s, and 2000’s. The globalization process at the present moment benefits very few people; mostly people living in the cities of the developed countries of Europe and America, to a lesser degree in Asia. If I were a student of one of the liberal universities of America or Europe; I would be most likely ridiculed and scorned for writing...
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...MARAWAKO TUTORIAL GROUP TUESDAY 3-4 QUESTION IN DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA, TOCQUEVILLE IS DEEPLY WORRIED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF DEMOCRATIC TYRANNY. DISCUSS THE VALIDITY OF THIS CONTENTION. This essay is an exposition of the concerns raised by Tocqueville in his book Democracy in America particularly his greatest concern that is the possibility of democratic tyranny/tyranny of the majority arising if democracies are left unchecked. Tocqueville observes that the movement towards democracy and equality of conditions having progressed farthest in America was likely to spread to other parts of Europe as well as the rest of the world hence moving him to analyse democratic governments in order to ascertain the merits and demerits of such governments thereby providing substantial solutions to help counter the ills of democracy. These ills are inclusive of democratic tyranny which according to Adamova (2013: 1) is tyranny of the majority founded in public opinion. Tocqueville notes with profound insight that democratic tenets include equality of social conditions, liberty, and active participation of individuals in political matters amongst others however he laments the possibility of democracies becoming a tool of oppression of the minority emotionally amongst others if the majority are allowed to will absolute power and have unrestrained influence over government .It should be noted however that whilst Tocqueville was greatly concerned about the possibility of democratic tyranny he also...
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...means of getting information. He compares the French to the American media to justify his claim that the press can cause a great influence on how you view facts, and how the press can influence your opinion. "The press cannot create human passions, however skillfully it may kindle them where they exist"(p. 3). He goes on by stating in America political news is not affected by passionate citizens you truly care about the actual problems, rather than American passion in news mainly focuses on petty interests and consumerism. The intellectual part of the media have been depleted if not completely removed from our grasp. Whereas in France the main focus of the press is based on political interest and advertisements are limited. Other points Tocqueville make on American media is how we attack each other's ideas. "The United States has no metropolis;... instead of radiating from a common point they cross each other in every direction the Americas have nowhere established any central direction of opinion”(p.4). Our opinions are no longer formed on facts gathered over varying of sources. Instead the first thing we hear or see that we choose to believe is what we consider to be ‘true’. “The opinions established in the United States under the influence of the liberty of the press are more frequently rooted than those which are formed elsewhere under the sanction of a censor”(p.5). Further more, de Tocqueville's observations of the American...
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...In the book, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville analyzes an extensive range of topics, with a prevalent theme 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 democracy. These are mass society, democratic despotism and extremes of wealth and poverty. Tocqueville suggests multiple solutions to these issues. I think the issues of mass society, democratic despotism and the extremes of wealth and poverty are effectively dealt with through an increased social awareness and voluntary societal associations, control of local liberties as well as through an increased role of citizens in the judicial system. The three issues...
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