Democratic Thought Vs Democracy
The Democratic thought/Democracy will be understood if we dissect the contrasting views of Modern thinkers (Tocqueville, Montesquieu, Keynes, and Hayek) and the Social Contract thinkers (Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau). Also history will tell that after a long monarchial or authoritarian rule, people revolted and seek for freedom then move towards democracy. Origins of Democratic thought will be traced on how government and human’s rationality would evolve. According to Hobbes (1651) human beings are by nature made equal; they possess equal skills and strength. State of Nature is a state of war. In state of nature, man is nasty, brutish, poor, solitary, and rude (Hobbes, 1651). All humans possessing equal skills and strength will fight for their …show more content…
After the revolution, states begin to move towards democracy. It is irresistible because it’s a new system, disempowered the monarchial rule and it favored the people who like individual liberty and equality. The mode of production is change to capitalism where ideas are the capital not land. It pace out territorial elites because land become obsolete. Manufacturing elites begin to emerge. Manufacturing elites are the one that wealth is depending on production. They have the ideas and skills that are marketable and employable. The discourse of democratic thought will circulate on the key factors or components of democracy: equality, liberty, freedom and law. Modern Thinkers give contrasting views on the scope and intent of each. According to Tocqueville (1848), democratic nations love equality more than liberty. He believed democracy as a dynamic process which required equality of conditions. Equality will be achieved if the differences were reduced or eliminated. The first and most intense passion which is endangered by the equality of condition is the love of the same equality (Ebenstein & Ebenstein, 1990). Equality of condition of Tocqueville is not literal about material equality but universal assumption that no significance was to be accorded in any apparent difference – material, social or personal. Men will be free because they will be all equal. Political equality and Economic equality are irreconcilable. Political equality talks about political participation of the people – suffrage and running in position – while economic equality is about wealth, wages and material things. Equality in both areas is considered a dangerous error because people are not equal and have differences. People will never be equal. But we can create equal playing field where all have equal opportunities. The problem that Tocqueville sees in equality and democracy is the tyranny of majority. A majority taken collectively may regarded as a being
Was Ancient Athens: Was Ancient Athens Truly Democratic?
335 Words | 2 PagesWas ancient Athens truly democratic? Democracy is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state. I do not believe that in the 4th to 5th century BCE ancient Athen were democratic for many reasons.
How Is Tocqueville Relevant Today
1352 Words | 6 Pages“I have tried to see not differently but further…”(Tocqueville, 1835) was Alexis de Tocqueville’s conclusion to the introduction of his perennial classic text Democracy in America, and adumbrates to the reader of his modern ideas and observations that were to follow. At the same time, he measures the progress of society through its relationship with equality and liberty. In this paper, I will highlight Tocqueville’s use of equality and liberty to compare the past and the modern, and establish his views on the effects of these concepts with society and each other. Finally, I will put forth that Tocqueville does not favour one concept over the other, but notes the complex relationship between the two and the importance of the co-existence of liberty and equality for a society of people. To begin, let us build the base case to compare with and look the past as defined by Tocqueville, with emphasis on equality and liberty.
Pros And Cons Of Democracy Tocqueville
822 Words | 4 PagesTocqueville 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
Summary Of Democracy In America By Alexis De Tocqueville
1052 Words | 5 PagesTocqueville provided an analysis of how citizens can prevent equality from evolving into a high degree of isolation. Tocqueville analyzed and compared America 's democratic society and Europe 's aristocratic society. In Europe, men remained in a fixed state and class; some men held greater influence and power over others. There was a formal social hierarchy where "a man almost always knows his
Thomas Hobbes's Discourse On Inequality And Social Contract
2000 Words | 8 PagesIn contrast to Hobbes, who argues social bonds form to regulate human nature, Rousseau argues that the formation of the civil state results from and in a “change in man,” that humans must of necessity be denatured in the process of forming society. There are similarities between the two’s philosophies, but it is Rousseau, through his arguments that human nature can be changed, who articulates a political vision more consistent with the claim that humans are asocial by nature. In the beginning, the arguments of both Hobbes and Rousseau are similar. Man in nature is isolated.
Locke Vs Tocqueville Analysis
1084 Words | 5 PagesHe 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
What Caused The French Revolution Dbq
817 Words | 4 PagesThe French people’s knowledge of their rights led them to believe that it is possible to achieve fairness and be respected in their own province. And lastly, the idea of questioning France’s government had peasants discover that their king barely even cared about their well-being and restricted them of representation.
Difference Between Democracy And Republic
826 Words | 4 PagesAn Important Distinction Between Democracy and Republic It is important to keep in mind the difference between a Democracy and a Republic, as dissimilar forms of government. Understanding the difference is essential to comprehension of the fundamentals involved. It should be noted, in passing, that use of the word Democracy as meaning merely the popular type of government--that is, featuring genuinely free elections by the people periodically--is not helpful in discussing, as here, the difference between alternative and dissimilar forms of a popular government: a Democracy versus a Republic. This double meaning of Democracy--a popular-type government in general, as well as a specific form of popular government--needs to be made clear in any discussion, or writing, regarding this subject, for the sake of sound understanding.
Democracy Vs Athenian Democracy
1382 Words | 6 PagesThe Democracy of Athens meant that the people rule themselves. It was easy for the Athenians to see who the people are due to the population number at the time. Therefore, they could easily make decisions. The biggest difference between Athenian democracy and almost all other democracies is that the Athenians had a direct democracy rather than being representative. The city-state of Athens, 5th century Athens to be precise, is the inventor and first practitioner of democracy.
Rousseau's Influence On Abbe Sieyes
877 Words | 4 PagesThe second value of the General Will in Rousseau’s belief was that everyone under it should gain the same rights (Rousseau 15). Similarly, in Sieyes’ excerpt, he argued that the citizens should stand in the equal distance from the General Will, and occupy equal places. This argument could be translated into the belief that “Legal rights are identical for every person, whether his property happens to be great or small” (Sieyes
Similarities Between Hobbes And Rousseau
1351 Words | 6 PagesThus, both men would evaluate the statement that “in a legitimate state all men are free and there is no inequality,” differently. Rousseau would mostly disagree, holding that the state itself is the impetus for inequality. Hobbes would largely agree, contending that men are equal both in a primitive state of conflict and under a sovereign’s awesome power. These different responses result from the philosophers’ opposing views on fundamental human nature, civil society’s raison d’etre, and government’s inevitable form. --- Rousseau begins his
Compare And Contrast Ancient Greek And Roman Democracy
1489 Words | 6 Pages3. Compare and contrast the idea of democracy in Ancient Greece and Rome. Which system was more democratic and why? Democracy is the modern day standard for governmental systems. However up until 500 BCE, the concept of Democracy was a foreign concept, and the great civilizations of that era were run by monarchs, aristocrats, and religious leaders of sorts.
Differences And Similarities Between Marx And De Tocqueville
200 Words | 1 PagesDe 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).
Hobbes Parity
1968 Words | 8 PagesA fair analysis of Hobbes’ work must begin in earnest with his interpretation of the state of nature, a state which he characterizes as, “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,” (60). This conclusion is derived in part as a result of his stance on natural equality and, likely, in part due to the historical context of his life – it stands to reason that living through the English Civil War may have imbued Hobbes with some degree of cynicism concerning human nature. Although not necessarily equal in strength of body nor in strength of mind individually, Hobbes asserts that the whole of a man – mind, body and the like – is roughly equal to that of every other man in the state of nature (58). This leads to an inherent parity of strength amongst individuals in the state of nature. However, this assertion – even with an assumption of truth at present – does not necessarily lend itself to the rather grim state of nature that Hobbes describes; relatively universal equality amongst individuals could just as easily lead to an ideal egalitarian society as to the state of total war that Hobbes posits.
Essay On Democracy In Ecuador
1159 Words | 5 PagesFirst of all, it is important to know the definition of democracy and its aspects. According to Peter Joyce (2005), the democratic government was initiated in the Greek city state of Athens in the fifth century B.C., so as a consequence, the word ‘democracy’ derived from two Greek words, demos (meaning ‘people’) and kratos (meaning ‘power’) , which means ‘government by the people’. Secondly, Giovanni Sartori (1997), a Political Science Researcher states that ‘democracy’ is an abbreviation that means Liberal Democracy. He distinguishes three aspects: democracy as a principle of legitimacy (power not derives
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