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States, Tocqueville remarked that “No novelty in the United States struck me
Tocqueville was awed by what he observed in his trip, and he believed that
the relatively young country represented a new modern society that would
conditions’ in his introduction, where he wrote “It is easy to see the immense
particular turn to public opinion and a particular twist to the new laws, new
maxims to those who govern and particular habits to the governed.”2 On the
modern societies, this paper also utilizes other notable thinkers and ideas in
1
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 9
2
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 9
Jason Wong
Social Studies 10b
Nicolas Prevelakis
with the idea that Tocqueville, who is interested in the development of the
among all peoples. The development of social mores that stem from equality
are also a great concern for Tocqueville, who believed that equality begot
the self-centered individual who, as Adam Smith and Friedrich A. von Hayek
would argue, can still be both self-centered and at the same time serve
society’s needs. Smith and Hayek would argue that these two points are not
for dissent and debate. Finally, this essay goes back to Tocqueville’s major
America, the history of the colonies, and the religious beliefs of its people.
Americans a suitable participatory role in local and national politics that was
this idea when he wrote that “The social state is commonly the result of
responsible for the culture of democracy that pervaded the country: the
interaction between the religious and political ideals among all members of
political world was chaotic, disordered and confused. “Far from harming
3
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 50
4
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 47
Jason Wong
Social Studies 10b
Nicolas Prevelakis
almost entirely Christian. More specifically, most of America at that time was
Protestant. Since this is the case, Tocqueville’s observation that religion and
Protestantism (rather than religion overall) and freedom are only mutually
to get them to conceive of the one without the other.”5 But, if Tocqueville is
correct to assume that religion and freedom are mutually beneficial to each
writes how Islamic beliefs and egalitarian mores are inherently incompatible,
Mohammed brought down from heaven and put into the Koran not
religious doctrines only, but political maxims, criminal and civil laws,
and scientific theories. The Gospels, on the other hand, deal only with
the relations between man and God and between man and man.
Beyond that, they teach nothing and do not oblige people to believe
anything. That alone, among a thousand reasons, is enough to show
that Islam will not be able to hold its power long in ages of
enlightenment and democracy, while Christianity is destined to reign in
such ages, as in all others.6
5
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 293
6
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 445
Jason Wong
Social Studies 10b
Nicolas Prevelakis
societies. If this is the case, that societies should first convert into
Tocqueville doesn’t explain the rise of other great democracies since his time
in Japan, India, and South Africa. Each has their own set of beliefs and
religious values that are different from Protestantism, and none of these
culture, then why did America’s founding fathers purposefully separate the
History has shown that even if all of one society or country has similar
beliefs, there are times and cases from which religion is divisive, and
society is currently extremely conflicted over abortion and gay rights issues.
Even within the Protestant religious umbrella, people are fragmented on their
stances on these two issues. Some have taken to militant action, such as the
Harvey Milk). Some churches, such as the Episcopal Church, have adopted
and/or foster.
For Toqueville, associations are the bonds that are created among
observed that forming and belonging to associations was one of the more
“Americans of all ages, all stations in life, and all types of disposition are
“the art of association must develop and improve among them at the same
7
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 513
8
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 515
Jason Wong
Social Studies 10b
Nicolas Prevelakis
equality enables each person to serve their individual self interests, then
a man to think of all things in terms of himself and to prefer himself to all.”9
Each citizen, then, is isolated from (or isolates himself from) the rest of
society into the society of his or her limited social circle of family and friends.
The individual “gladly leaves the greater society to look after itself”10 and
more equal.”11
would prefer a kind of political man over the family man (or woman) when in
reality in a modern society they can be one and the same, or at least share
as pronounced as Tocqueville believes. Smith notes that "It is not from the
benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our
dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not
9
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 506
10
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 506
11
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 507
Jason Wong
Social Studies 10b
Nicolas Prevelakis
to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own
collective social interests can be intertwined. The family man can still serve
society by serving his family’s interests. In Smith’s example, the family man
would help provide bread, meat, or beer for society. In addition, there is little
reason for men and women to isolate themselves from politics or their fellow-
beings when most businesses and occupations require some form of social
interaction and in many cases men and women of all interests are affected
Tocqueville’s other great concern for the individual was the tyranny of
the majority. A big question for Tocqueville was to whom individuals can turn
to when conflicts arise between the individual and the rest of society. On
of the United States, had a similar concern. In his editorial, Federalist #10,
12
Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P.
Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 252
Jason Wong
Social Studies 10b
Nicolas Prevelakis
Madison wrote that “Complaints are everywhere heard from our most
considerate and virtuous citizens, […] that measures are too often decided,
not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by
responded to this question by stating that the only way to combat this
so that they could combat one another when individual associations become
too powerful. Eventually, Madison assumed, if one faction was becoming too
powerful, then that would encourage many of the other smaller factions to
work together to negate the effects of the large faction. Madison concludes
culture, can serve to both divide the interests of the majority, and also serve
majority.
13
Madison, James Federalist #10 http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm
14
Madison, James Federalist #10 http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm
Jason Wong
Social Studies 10b
Nicolas Prevelakis
observations which were too general in order to craft his theory on American
religious, or more religious with different beliefs, and what effects these
grounded on the idea that the goals and activities political man, as opposed
In actuality I have tried to show that this isn’t the case, and there are
many instances in business and politics that directly affect the political and
family man at the same time. Tocqueville’s concern over the tyranny of the
majority is a valid concern, and can be seen even today in the majority’s
denial of equal rights for gays and lesbians. Madison’s solution would be to
modern era: the risk of the individual isolating him/herself from the rest of
his/her fellows, and the risk to the individual from the tyranny of society.