Tocqueville's Democracy In America

In his Republic, Plato makes the claim that “only philosophy can save us” (Book V, 573d). Thousands of years later, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America. Many scholars summarize his beliefs as, “only institutions can save us”, a direct repudiation of Plato. In this paper, I will show that, in fact, Plato’s philosophy is embedded in Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, specifically revolving around the preference for community and collectivism rather than private gain.
In the Republic, Plato initially sets out to define justice, and in this quest, illustrates the ideal society. His entire philosophy is based on the idea of parts coming together towards the whole. This applies to both the just person as well as the model state. In …show more content…
It is their origin that creates habits, which are a major influencer of every action (Tocqueville 32). The origin of American society came in the Northeast, with the Puritan pilgrims fleeing England for religious freedom. Tocqueville notes that they all were in a stable financial position, with no major discrepancy and no financial struggle. “…nor was their object in going to the New World to better their position or accumulate wealth; they tore themselves away from home comforts in obedience to a purely intellectual craving; in facing the inevitable sufferings of exile they hoped for the triumph of an idea.” (Tocqueville 36). In other words, the origin of the country was on religion and freedom for it, not personal gain. The people were all unified under the same religion, not drive for wealth. And taking Tocqueville’s views on origin and habits, it was this foundation that caused America to be exceptionally religious even a couple hundred years later. This religious society allows for the democracy to not only exist, but also prosper. When tracing back through Tocqueville’s philosophy, the success of the American democracy arises from a unified religious value over private