Majority rule

John Stuart Mill and Alexis de Tocqueville, both were advocates for individual freedom, and liberty through democracy. Mill and Tocqueville both feared tyranny, and promoted democracy so that citizens could have individual liberties, and thoughts. Mill’s ideal citizen in a democracy would be participatory, and opinionated in their beliefs. His citizen would not curtail any other citizen’s belief, no matter how far off of their beliefs it is. Tocqueville’s ideal citizen would be one who…

Steven and Dan. The meaning of tyranny of the majority can be broken down. Tyranny means cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary use of power or control. I feel that tyranny of the majority is an oppression by the majority to the minority. I think if you are part of the majority that your mind conforms to what everyone else in the majority thinks. A good example that was discussed in lecture would be the American Indians. American Indians were the majority in this country until europeans started to…

democracy and society, under Participatory democracy. However, the country will be better under majoritarian democracy. But the minorities might struggle even more if the democracy is all depended by the majority. Ultimately, the Civil Right Movement will not be resolved, as everyone only follows the majority but they neglect the voice from the minorities. Hence, it shows there are limitation for equal and fair government and democracy to the United…

Tocqueville: Final Exam In Tocqueville’s Democracy in America he is hopeful because of the similarities and sameness that American democracy and French democracy shared and continue to share. Democracy is a pivotal part to America and the way of life American’s are accustomed to. From the founding fathers to the first colonies of New England democracy has always been a part of it. A country without full democracy cannot survive, looking at slavery when African Americans were no longer allowed…

“Democratic governments that the empire of the majority is absolute; for in democracies, outside the majority is nothing that resist of” (235). He’s clearly stating that the U.S is run by a Democracy, but within that Democracy is a ruling/living by majority, and all this leads to a tyranny. Before, I get into the bashing that Tocqueville gives the U.S, I want to talk about his justifications for a majority. He states, “The moral empire of the majority is founded in part on the idea that there is…

Over the course of human history, many different forms of government have risen only to be ousted and replaced generally through bloody revolutions and civil wars. One of the more momentous governmental changes took place after the United States won its independence from Great Britain’s monarchy, giving rise to history’s most prominent democracy. As this new nation and government emerged, those living in Europe observed this new democracy meticulously, wondering if this new form of government…

Religion teaches people how to use their freedom for the good of themselves and others. It is practically the sole means of counteracting the materialistic aspects of life by taking people’s minds beyond the physical, material aspects of life. Religion teaches men that being good is in their self interest because they will be rewarded in the afterlife. By working towards the common good rather than personal gain, people are forced to work together. Through these features of American…

discuss the deleterious effects of conformity on the American mind, and on society as a whole. Both authors discuss the relationship between majority tyranny and slavery in the United States. Upon analyzing Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Antislavery Writings, it is clear that the authors agree on the effects of majority tyranny and slavery…

Three significant benefits are how the majority influences the elected leaders, how the laws reflect the moral strength of the people, and patriotism derived from reason. Alexis de Tocqueville is a very important person in American history and in politics. He was the perfect candidate to analyze…

Defection is the desertion of one's country or cause in favor of an opposing one, but it can come in many different ways. Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America writes a novel about America’s first emigrants who defected from Europe and successful created New England townships to display their ideas of defection. In “Two Young Men Who Went West”, Tom Wolfe shares a success story of a young man who also also found success through defection. In both these works, defection builds the pathway…