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Pros And Cons Of Democracy In America By Tocqueville

786 Words4 Pages

Federalist #10, written by James Madison, is a text that offers an alternative approach to America's democratic governmental institutions. Presenting the downfalls of American democracy, such as unequal representation, Madison advocates for a governmental structure that appeals to a wider variety of constituents. Conversely, Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville praises American democracy in its current form. Although Tocqueville concedes that American democracy is fallible, it presents American government as an exemplary model for countries ruled by aristocracies. Madison and Tocqueville present contradicting opinions concerning the way in which democracy often allows majority interests to influence the everyday workings of government. …show more content…

Tocqueville qualifies this argument by stating, "No one has discovered a political system which equally favors the development and prosperity of all classes in society" (Tocqueville 272). Tocqueville believes that democracy functions best when it passes legislation that benefits the socioeconomic group with the most membership. He advocates that the real advantage of democracy is not "To favor the prosperity of all, but only to serve the wellbeing of the greatest number"--a feature that is lacking in European aristocracies (Tocqueville 272). According to Tocqueville's philosophy, the majority group will prosper because their needs are met and the minority group will be content because they will still receive a portion of those benefits. In England, the rights of the wealthy superseded the welfare of the poor; moreover, the poor sacrificed their privileges for the contentment of the upper class. However, Tocqueville argues that this is not an occurrence in America because "public officials promote no class interests" (Tocqueville 274). Furthermore, Tocqueville believes that this operation of American democracy increases political efficacy amongst its citizens. When people's interests are addressed, they feel as if they can have a meaningful impact upon the workings of their governments. Tocqueville's opinion is justifiable in that, people possessing a significant role in their society contributes greatly to an effectual

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James Madison’s main ideas in Federalist 10 were about factions and how to remove the causes but also control the effects. He described a faction as “By a faction, I understand a number if citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community (“The Federalist #10).” Madison was correct in his statements about removing the causes and controlling the effects of factions. During the time Federalist 10 was written the Federalists were using the papers to help convince the states to ratify the Constitution.

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The Federalist No. 10 Argument

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10 in an attempt to ratify the Constitution, the new form of government for the United States. In the Federalist Paper No. 10, Madison analyzed the way to deal with facts, made a comparison between a pure democracy and a republic, and made another comparison on whether a small government or a large government would be the best for America. He informed the people that there is not a way to completely get rid of factions, but there are ways to deal with them. One great way to deal with factions is by having a government that knows how to control and deal with their effects. Madison believes that a republic can do that job better than a democracy, because a democracy is a small society of people who can not admit there is a cure to factions.

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Why Was Tocqueville Wrong

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This may come from slightly from a place of defense for Tocqueville as he is part of the aristocrat class in France. Tocqueville isn’t wrong completely though as many of the people of the time were largely very uneducated about the world and to expect them to be able to understand situations around the world is asking too much of them. Yet this largely not their fault as much of them did not have access to education. Tocqueville also notices in the United States that many people don’t look up to the wealthy or a king anymore but still look up to people who appear virtuous to them.

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America’s economic system and practice of meritocracy drive these societal advancements. Capitalism rewards hard work and punishes laziness or the inability to work. Whether or not this system is fair, it has inspired individuals to innovate and instill a sense of competition throughout America for centuries. In his Why the Americans are so Restless in the Midst of their Prosperity, Alexis de Tocqueville claims, “However democratic, then, the social state and the political constitution of a people may be, it is certain that every member of the community will always find out several points about him which overlook his own position; and we may foresee that his looks will be doggedly fixed in that direction” (Tocqueville). Tocqueville criticizes the uneasiness that Americans consistently possess with their place in society.

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Pros And Cons Of Democracy Tocqueville

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Tocqueville feared that in a democracy the people would assume that the truth always lies with the majority, since individuals are prone to trust public opinion over the ideas of the minority, crumbling citizens’ ability to question their government 's authority and to think for themselves. The dangers of unchecked and unlimited power in America’s centralized government would become the majority and lead to the absolute tyranny. However, while the government is centralized, its sphere of influence is limited because of the decentralized administration. American is able to moderate the political tyranny of the majority through the checks and balances in the three branch system of government made by the decentralized administration, but must take caution of a social tyranny of the majority being

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Democracy In America Summary

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In 1831 French sociologist and political theorist Alexis De Tocqueville and a lawyer he befriended named Gustave de Beaumont, spent nine months traveling around America studying its prisons and came back with a full report on the cultural, political and psychological life in America. While Beaumont wrote about the penitentiary system, Tocqueville focused more in the cultural and political life in America. He wrote two essays and published them in a book called Democracy in America. He discussed the possible threats to democracy and the possible dangers of democracy. He believed that religion and equality were the greatest ideas and they were the most advanced in the United States and that's why democracy worked so well in America.

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De Tocqueville doesn 't view liberty as an attribute part of the democratic era. He believes that the only character that is associated with this era is equality. He explains in his theory that people of this era prize equality over liberty, although he doesn 't deny that democratic people value liberty, because everyone can take part in it and enjoy it effortlessly, as opposed to liberty where you have to "sacrifice" to achieve it (De Tocqueville, 1835). He holds that equality creates individualism, which means people separate themselves from one another, their ancestors and the future generations, that leads to tyranny and despotism. On the contrary, he claims that during the aristocratic ages, people were not selfish and careless about others ' needs because "aristocracy links everybody, from peasant to king" (De Tocqueville, 1835).

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1084 Words | 5 Pages

He puts forward the idea of “freedom of opinion” (Tocqueville 106) and constitutes it as “independence of mind and real freedom of discussion” (Tocqueville 104). Unlike Locke, this stretches far beyond what is done. Tocqueville is careful to differentiate this liberty from the freedom of speech, as this freedom from opinion is more meant to indicate the freedom to follow different paths of thought and not be unfairly judged for it. Once again, it is the majority who suppresses this in Tocqueville’s opinion, as scorn and persecution for unwanted opinions permeate throughout society (Tocqueville 105). Tocqueville’s entanglement of liberty and what is right means that a majority’s limitation of liberty is unjust, while Locke’s concept of liberty means it must necessarily be restrained by a majority in order to protect the principle aim of government, to protect

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