The tyranny of the majority (or tyranny of the masses) is an inherent weakness to majority rule in which the majority of an electorate pursues exclusively its own objectives at the expense of those of the minority factions.
What did de Tocqueville mean by the tyranny of the majority?
According to Tocqueville, the power of the majority arises from the fact that
in a democracy every individual is, politically, the equal of every other individual
. In this situation, the greatest power will always be the largest number of individuals who combine their strength to act together: normally, a majority.
What is meant by tyranny of majority?
:
a situation in which a group of people are treated unfairly because their situation is different from the situation of most of the people in a democratic country
.
What does Mill mean by the phrase tyranny of the majority?
Tyranny of the majority (or tyranny of the masses) is a situation
that can result from a system of majority rule
, wherein the majority group places its own interests above the interests of a minority group without consideration for the welfare or rights of the minority.
Where did the term tyranny of the majority come from?
The phrase “tyranny of the majority,” first
coined by French historian and political theorist Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) in his seminal two-volume study Democracy in America (1835–1840) and memorialized by John Stuart Mill
(1806–1873) in his classic 1859 treatise On Liberty, represented to this generation the …
What could the tyranny of majority result in discrimination?
coercion and persecution of religious minorities
.
What could the tyranny of majority result in class 8?
Ans. Tyranny of the majority refers to unhealthy situations where
a majority continuously enforces decisions that exclude minorities and go against their interests
. … The Constitution usually contains rules that ensure that minorities are not excluded from anything that is routinely available to the majority.
Who first said tyranny of the majority?
While the specific phrase “tyranny of the majority” is frequently attributed to various Founding Fathers, only John Adams is known to have used it, arguing against government by a single unicameral elected body.
Where does Tocqueville talk about tyranny of the majority?
Tocqueville, in the light of his “new political science,” calls this an “impious and detestable maxim.”
In Volume 2, Part 2, Chapter 7
, “Of the Omnipotence of the Majority in the United States and Its Effects,” he lays out his argument against this view.
What did de Tocqueville criticized the US for?
De Tocqueville leveled some of his sharpest criticism against
American political leaders themselves
. He became convinced that outstanding men avoided elected office in order to pursue their private ambitions and careers. Those who did seek public office, he believed, were often poorly educated and open to corruption.
What kind of tyranny is mill most worried about?
Tyranny of the majority Term Analysis. … Socially speaking, the tyranny of the majority forces people to conform to
general expectation rather than freely
and naturally developing one’s individuality, which Mill believes is the most serious crime committed by society against individuals.
Which political thinker warned against the tyranny of the majority in a democracy?
John Stuart Mill’s
warning still resonates today. BY THE age of six, John Stuart Mill had written a history of Rome. By seven, he was devouring Plato in Greek.
What is tyranny by the government?
A tyrant (from Ancient Greek τύραννος, tyrannos), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler’s sovereignty. … One can apply accusations of tyranny to a variety of types of government: to government by one individual (in an autocracy)
What was a warning made by Alexis de Tocqueville quizlet?
“Tyranny of the majority”
is a warning that “direct democracy” can destroy a government by giving those who are a majority in population the majority of power in government.
What is tyranny of the majority quizlet?
Define: Tyranny of the Majority.
decisions made by a majority place its interests above those of an individual or minority group
, constituting active oppression comparable to that of a tyrant or despot.
Social tyranny works by
imposing strict customs and discouraging individuals from embracing any of their natural talents or thoughts that go against the social grain
.
