Tocqueville (1805-1859): Democracy in America (1835-1840) Flashcards
tocqueville’s historical perspective
americans latch on to flattering statements + predictions
his primary concern was France not US
french revolution 1789, ends 1815: turmoil, internal affair becomes international affair, afraid revolution would spread
aristocrat suffered during french revolution
family was guillotined/imprisoned
other aristocrats believed french should return to church, aristocracy, monarch ruling
tocqueville’s historical perspective
did not share this point of view - unrealistic, equality fact of life
every 50 years, top + bottom become a little bit closer
not a reactionary: believed it was foolish to go back
how can liberty be defended?
why equality?
Not a leftist, he just acknowledges its inevitability
Problem - how can under conditions of increasing equality can liberty be defended?
In french revolution: more equality, but also anarchy, property not respected, loss of life, tyranny
How can we avoid excessiveness of french revolution?
Argued that only accelerated process of centralization of state
why equality?
Before 1600s decentralized
Centralization: french revolution didn’t block this, only made it faster
Excessive centralization: threatening, opening possibility to tyranny
Master trend in Christian countries
Why the US?
Feels liberty is threatened
Greatest advance in equality
Pure forms: no aristocratic past
Approaches america with concerns of a frenchman
Why the US?
Believes equality carries with it dangers of tyranny (excessively strong state) + anarchy
Sees it as a more equal, managed to avoid anarchy + despotism
How has it managed to avoid these dangers?
What about slavery? (Narrative of Life of Frederick Douglas [1845])
Negro + indian: diff customs + looks
Both inferior position, suffer from tyranny of europeans
Though afflictions diff, same enemy
Accusatory finger at europeans
When can’t dominate, euros destroy them
Recognition of plight of african americans + natives
What about slavery? (Narrative of Life of Frederick Douglas [1845])
He never incorporates idea that the african americans as part of the american society
It doesn’t inform his portrait of how america forms
His portrait is a European american society
Intellectual marginalization persists in sociology today
Society is used all the time – assumption is that we are dealing with unit that shares boundaries of a state
Problem in tocqueville – one that has persisted in sociology today
What about slavery? (Narrative of Life of Frederick Douglas [1845])
We use society too easily
Plunged into an abyss of wretchedness, negro hardly notices to illfortune
Reduced to slavery by violence
Gotten Thoughts + ambitions of a slave: Admires tyrants more than he hates them
Slavery has poisoned psyche of the african americans
Talks about them, but has same problem
Penetrating psyche is more complicated
Frederick douglas: fled from slavery to england
He wrote autobiography
Slaves universally say they are content with their condition because they can get into trouble if they say otherwise
Surpress truth to protect themselves
Tendency to place own master above other masters
Frederick douglas
Duplicity placed a barrier from african americans + outsider when it comes to getting information
In sociology, some presume interviewing ppl we study are best way to get truth, assume that they are honest
Take what they say with a grain of salt
Importance of voluntary associations
Fears individualism will pull ppl apart
Withdrawal to close circle of family + friends
Greater sense of being connected to past + future – inheritance
Sense of grandparents did things of value, proud of name, good ppl, made sacrifices – obligation to make them proud
Burden of past, duty to transmit to future generation
Importance of voluntary associations
Individualistic mentality – don’t care about values or what parents had to do to get there/thinking about their children in the future
Task of transmission + inheritance plagued down in america
Corporate identity – social group (nobility, peasantry)
Traditional society – noble have greater responsibility to act in interest of all nobility
Importance of voluntary associations
American society: divided, not unified in protecting interests
Danger of tyranny, state can impose its will
In voluntary associations – they group together and work for their interests
Ppl pool together to work toward a common goal and help each other
Importance of voluntary associations
praising voluntary citizen involvement
french society robs citizens of initiative
tendency to think state will solve problem for you
in america citizen initiative – state is not gonna do it for you
hoping more voluntary associations in france will loosen grasp of french state and provide liberty
