Preview

Summary Of On Democracy In America By Alexis De Tocqueville

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
284 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Summary Of On Democracy In America By Alexis De Tocqueville
Alexis de Tocqueville was captivated by the “equality of conditions” when he visited the United States in 1831. Tocqueville, a young aristocratic lawyer from France, produced brilliantly layered political texts. A product of the times, shaped by his personal experiences, his “masterwork,” On Democracy in America, continues to be praised for it’s grand excursion into the heart of the United States’ political thinking, as well as its analysis and reflection of the American individual and societal culture – which he believes is a direct product of democracy. This equality of conditions that de Tocqueville writes of is a sort of “focal point toward which all [his] observations converge.” He questions the equalities and inequalities of democracies,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    The thirteen colonies in America began early on to develop democratic features. The democracy in colonial America was a work in progress with democratic and undemocratic features. There were undemocratic features in the way people were living. These laws were made to make this world stay at peace together.…

    • 335 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In a landmark examination of the American society and culture, Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America offered a unique Tocqueville provides a fascinating account of three oppressed ethnic groups in America, the Negroes and the Indians. “these two unlucky races have in common neither birth, appearances, language, nor mores,” In comparatively Outsider’s thought on liberty and its limitations amongst the inhabitants of the United States, particularly in the relations of three races “naturally distinct and hostile to one another”. Though this provocative comparison may initially appear to be vast however his analysis proves that the allegory is outstanding and well-constructed. Moreover, the equality informs a new mode of cooperation…

    • 232 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Written by Alexis De Tocqueville, Democracy in America critiques American customs through observations. (reword) Tocqueville examines the vast differences between his own, French, culture and the new, unrefined culture that is fostering in America. He observes in mystified awe at racial relations between not only the Native Americans and the Europeans, but the Africans that were recently brought to America. The race relations which present themselves in America are inconsistent with that in Europe. Slavery in America has developed “naturally with the society to which it belongs,” it has manifested into every household and taken over the whole country, but what Tocqueville finds fascinating is the lack of economic betterment that comes from the use of slaves in everyday labor (288). To further this argument, Tocqueville employs the use of logos and effectively describes the injurious consequences…

    • 863 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    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 aimed at the satisfaction of individual needs, rather than the greater good of society. Alexis de Tocqueville viewed participation in public affairs, the growth of associations and newspapers, the principle of self-interest properly understood, and religion as the only means by which American democracy could combat the effects of individualism.…

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In chapter seven, Tocqueville primarily talks about the unlimited power of the omnipotence of the majority of America. The natural strengths of the majority rule are clearly elaborated by Tocqueville in two ways. First he asserts that “The very essence of democratic government consists in the absolute sovereignty of the majority” (p. 282). Meaning that the essence of democratic government has determined the inevitable fate of the superior power of majority rule in this country. On the other hand, this trend has been strengthened by the constitution of some major states in the United States. The legislature, which can be the most vulnerable governmental agency affected by the majority, is the best embodiment of the majority rule. It is due to the fact that the lawmakers are directly elected by the majority, besides, their term of service are incredibly short as compared with the great power they were…

    • 1704 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Daniel Boorstin, an American professor, historian, writer, and attorney, is highly celebrated for his publications that classify him as an old fashioned patriot. However, Boorstin believed that Democracy and technology had consequential effects on an American’s experiences. Also, that the problems society faces are from the success of society than its failures. Boorstin uses four consequences to determine the relationship between success that technology and democracy have with each other: attenuation, or the decline of poignancy (391), decline of congregation, or new segregation (396), new determinism, or the rising sense of momentum (397), and the belief in solutions. Boorstin believed that we need to think about a process, not about a condition, and the two sides of what is needed in order to change away from problems.…

    • 1056 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tocqueville Essay

    • 293 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Tocqueville compared the American system of government to other forms of European governments. In the European governments, the people had no power, or say in how they wanted their government run. He praised the system of American government for its success, and held it as a role model for what European governments would eventually conform to. Despite the praise he gave the American government, Tocqueville had reservations. With great power comes great responsibility, and if the majority rules the American people, who ruled the majority? This is where the majority exceeding its limits comes into play. This affected the United States as the minority did not get a say in how they wanted their government to be run. He feared that all the virtues he honored would be endangered by the “tyranny of the majority”. The American Government was successful, but still contained flaws. Tocqueville believed that in order to keep the country from the “tyranny of the majority”, more power would need to be given to the minority to balance the power of the people and keep the majority from abusing their power.…

    • 293 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Tocqueville Flaws

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Democracy in the United States has had many interpretations based on success and failures, Alexis de Tocqueville initially details how in comparison to Europe, the United States has established a problematic and darker side of democracy. American Democracy like any “great experiment” is undoubtedly bound to have flaws, Tocqueville highlights these flaws he noticed on his nine-month trip to the United States. The reason Tocqueville chose to focus on the United States, in particular, is because its “development has been the most peaceful and the most complete,” therefore, his observations allowed him to see “the image of democracy itself, with its inclinations, its character, its prejudices, and its passions.” The United States served as a reference…

    • 915 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Colonial America’s democracy was a work in progress with democratic and undemocratic features. With features like Individual and Human Rights, Equality, and Limited Government, colonial America was continuously finding new ways to govern a new society. While, some of their strategies were undemocratic and cruel, they realized and fixed it with democratic solutions. Their efforts were enormous, and created the free land of colonial America.…

    • 583 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In this excerpt from Democracy in America Alexis Tocqueville expresses his sentiments about the United States democratic government. Tocqueville believes the government's nature exists in the absolute supremacy of the majority, meaning that those citizens of the United States who are of legal age control legislation passed by the government. However, the power of the majority can exceed its limits. Tocqueville believed that the United States was a land of equality, liberty, and political wisdom. He considered it be a land where the government only served as the voice of the its citizens. He compares the government of the US to that of European systems. To him, European governments were still constricted by aristocratic privilege, the people had no hand in the formation of their government, let alone, there every day lives. He held up the American system as a successful model of what aristocratic European systems would inevitably become, systems of democracy and social equality. Although he held the American democratic system in high regards, he did have his concerns about the systems shortcomings. Tocqueville feared that the virtues he honored, such as creativity, freedom, civic participation, and taste, would be endangered by "the tyranny of the majority." In the United States the majority rules, but whose their to rule the majority. Tocqueville believed that the majority, with its unlimited power, would unavoidably turn into a tyranny. He felt that the moral beliefs of the majority would interfere with the quality of the elected legislators. The idea was that in a great number of men there was more intelligence, than in one individual, thus lacking quality in legislation. Another disadvantage of the majority was that the interests of the majority always were preferred to that of the minority. Therefore, giving the minority no chance to voice concerns. Even though the minority was free to think differently, they were alienated because of their individuality.…

    • 374 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    One of the major themes in Tocqueville’s ‘Democracy in America’ is that of religion; and its emphasis toward maintaining an efficient Democracy as demonstrated in the United States. Region influences both the political and social life of Americans that contribute to an efficient society under a democratic system. Tocqueville examines the Puritans as the point of departure for the United States. Religious values established good mores of the earliest Americans, which Tocqueville pronounces as one of the most fundamental tools toward establishing an efficient democratic system of government. Tocqueville proceeds to emphasize that the separation of the church and state in the United States is of importance. The failed French Revolution was in part due to their failure to separate the church and state in France according to Tocqueville. Lastly, Tocqueville observes the non-institutional factors which help to maintain freedom in the United States; the freedom of religion is of most importance. Religion teaches people how to use their freedom justly, while it is necessary that religion provide some moral boundaries within the state. Tocqueville accounts religion as an effective tool to combat both individualism and materialism; both of which tend to favor a Despotic government.…

    • 2130 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Slick

    • 944 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Democracy in America was written out of Alexis De Tocqueville’s curiosity to see how a democracy was run effectively. In his native country, France, a democratic form of government was failed many times, so in turn he wanted to study a stable and prosperous democracy to gain insight on how it functioned. Although democracy still seemed somewhat inevitable to Tocqueville, he wanted to analyze the form of government to pinpoint its strengths and counteract its weaknesses. Tocqueville believed that aristocracies within governments were on a slow decline, because of the many benefits equality.…

    • 944 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the fundamental questions raised by De Tocqueville is, "When a man or party suffers an injustice in the United States, to whom can he turn?" (252) In the American democratic experience three separate branches of government exist, but, de Tocqueville does not feel that this mitigates the threat towards tyranny. Furthermore, he states, "in a democracy organized on the model of the United States there is only one authority, one source of strength and of success, and nothing outside it." (255) Under De Tocqueville, this "authority" is the majority and its reign absolute.…

    • 982 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    At the outset of Alexis de Tocqueville’s work, Democracy in America, the theorist asserts, regarding the spread of equality, that, “The gradual development of equality of conditions is therefore a providential fact, and it has the principal characteristics of one: it is universal, it is enduring, each day it escapes human power; all events, like all men, serve its developments,” (Democracy, Book, 6). Tocqueville uses the term ‘equality of conditions’ to describe socially formal equal footing among one’s peers. In plainer terms, it implies an absence of nobility or formal rank in the eyes of the law, and Tocqueville argues that the entire world is heading toward an ‘equality of conditions’. Tocqueville argues that for equality, Democratic peoples,…

    • 1391 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    While United States is one of the most powerful and successful countries in the world, it has many flaws in need of attention. One of the most prominent issues is the unequal representation of citizens in the government. Many factors contribute to this, but one significant cause of inequality is the representation of social classes. Even in the 1800s, Alexis De Tocqueville determined that the social class that held the most power would pass policies in their own favor (1835). Because of separation between social classes, the upper class has the most influence in government, the middle class is decently represented, and the lower class has a weak effect in democracy. Evidence shows that…

    • 1476 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays