As a critic of individualism, Tocqueville thought that through associating for mutual purpose, both in public and private, Americans are able to overcome selfish desires, thus making both a self-conscious and active political society and a vibrant civil society functioning according to political and civil laws of the …
Despotism favors isolation and individualism because when one isolates his or herself and emphasizes individualism,
he does not take into account the public good and the ideas of other people
. Therefore, a leader with absolute is much more likely to favor these traits because he wants to rule cruelly and oppressively.
How does Tocqueville characterize American individualism?
Tocqueville
distinguishes individualism from selfishness
. Selfishness, found at all times and all places, refers to a person’s pursuit of an apparent personal good at the expense of the common good.
What did de Tocqueville say about American society?
De Tocqueville
found a deep respect for the law in America
. The reason, he felt, was that the American citizens themselves held the ultimate power to change any laws they disliked.
What did Tocqueville say was the key to democracy?
He
thought that a vibrant religious life was essential to the preservation and prosperity of a free democratic
society. Tocqueville thought that religion (and he was favorable to almost any kind of religion) was essential to democracy for many reasons.
What is the theory of individualism?
Individualism, political and social philosophy that
emphasizes the moral worth of the individual
. Although the concept of an individual may seem straightforward, there are many ways of understanding it, both in theory and in practice.
What best describes the concept of individualism?
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology and social outlook that emphasizes the moral worth of the individual. … Individualism involves “
the right of the individual to freedom and self-realization
“.
How did the values identified by Alexis de Tocqueville make the United States unique?
Women and children were more independent, and the freedom of religion allowed for more religious denominations. As a result of his observations, Tocqueville determined five values crucial to America’s success as a constitutional republic:
liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, populism, and laissez-faire
.
How does Tocqueville define democracy?
Tocqueville
identifies democracy (which he also calls equality) as the central feature of modern society
. The concept has the same central role in his thought as “capitalism” does in Marx’s.
What aspect of American society is most striking to Tocqueville?
But for Tocqueville the most striking condition of American society was
equality
.
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 limitations did Tocqueville recognize in American democracy?
What limitations did Tocqueville recognize in American democracy?
It was only truly available to white men.
How did Alexis de Tocqueville react to his visit to the United States?
How did Alexis de Tocqueville react to his visit to the United States? …
Tocqueville came to believe that democracy was an unstoppable force whose major benefit was equality before the law
. However, he also described the tyranny of the majority, which overpowers the will of minorities and individuals.
What did Tocqueville say about religion in America?
“In the United States,” Tocqueville observes, “religion” exercises a beneficial “empire over intelligence.” Almost all Americans believe in or at least respect Christianity, with the result that “everything is certain and fixed in the moral world.” Therefore, in America, “
the human spirit never perceives an unlimited
…
What does Tocqueville mean by 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.
Why did Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America?
Tocqueville’s main purpose in writing Democracy in America was
to analyze the functioning of political society and the various forms of political associations
, although he also had some reflections on civil society as well as the relations between political and civil society.
