Alexis de Tocqueville

1
Alexis de Tocqueville

• Democracy in America

2
Alexis de Tocqueville

• From Francelived through the French
  Revolutionjust barely
• Sent to study American prisons
• Was in America during Andrew Jacksons presidency
  
• He noticed that America was different from
  Europe in many ways and tried to identify the
  ways in a book.

3
Why is American Democracy working?

• Both America and France went through revolutions
• America has a Democracy that has worked
• France has gone through many revolutions and
  restorations during the same time period.
• What made American Democracy successful?

4
Tocquevilles 5 values

• Egalitarianism
• Populism
• Liberty
• Individualism
• Laissez-Faire

5
Egalitarianism

• A society of equals.
• European society was built around hereditary
  distinctions separation the nobles, middle class,
  and peasants.
• In American society there are differences, but
  everyone is equal. Also anyone can own land.
• Two exceptions to this he found were slavery and
  the treatment of Native Americans

6
Populism

• Popular Sovereignty
• The participation of the common people in
  political lifevoting
• Since everyone in society was equal, everyone had
  the same right to participate in government.
• The goal of such a society was peace and
  prosperity for all.

7
Liberty

• Protection against tyrannical government
• Biggest danger was the tyranny of the majority.
• Americans are devoted to the rule of law
• Americas federal system helped prevent the rise
  of an over-powerful government
• Americans religious faith helped strengthen the
  belief in individual liberty

8
Individualism

• Americans were free to flourish without
  hereditary distinctions
• They believed they could rise in society (the
  American Dream)
• Individuals even organized themselves into to
  their own private, voluntary associations, such
  as charities.

9
Laissez-Faire(if you dont know this you will be
punched in the throat ?)

• Government took a Laissez-faire or hands off
  approach to the economy
• A key value of Americans was that each individual
  was the best judge of his own interest.
• He feared if they (Americans) relied too heavily
  on government, they would saddle it with a burden
  it was unable to perform.