Rousseau regards the will of the majority to be the manifestation of the general will, and so believes that minorities are wrong in their opinions. However, Tocqueville fears the “tyranny of the majority” both in a political sense and a social one. His fears validate the flaws found in Rousseau’s argument, as the liberty of the people is stripped away, leaving a population that follows blindly what the majority says. This fear is found prevalent in modern day societies, and not only in a political setting, as seen with “peer pressure.” And so, the clashes about the role of the majority brought forth by two political theorists can be witnessed today in all manner of settings in terms of liberty, political representation, and intellectual
Rousseau regards the will of the majority to be the manifestation of the general will, and so believes that minorities are wrong in their opinions. However, Tocqueville fears the “tyranny of the majority” both in a political sense and a social one. His fears validate the flaws found in Rousseau’s argument, as the liberty of the people is stripped away, leaving a population that follows blindly what the majority says. This fear is found prevalent in modern day societies, and not only in a political setting, as seen with “peer pressure.” And so, the clashes about the role of the majority brought forth by two political theorists can be witnessed today in all manner of settings in terms of liberty, political representation, and intellectual