The Threat Of Liberty Equality Based Societies By Alexis...

Threat to Liberty in Equality Based Societies While traveling across the United States, Alexis de Tocqueville recorded how democracy operates and the roles of its participants in, â€Å"Democracy in America.† Tocqueville demonstrates his admiration of the American democratic system and Americans’ dedication to freedom, equality, and supporting one another. Despite these praises, there is also a looming danger against liberty in not only America, but in all societies based on equality. The most imminent threat to liberty in these societies is despotism as it prevents individuals from exercising their natural freedoms and rights. Tocqueville proposes resolutions to this threat, such as, government decentralization and civil associations. Despotism flourishes in equal societies due to individuals isolating themselves and forming a centralized governing institution. As stated by Tocqueville, â€Å"Equality places men beside one another without a common bond to hold them. E quality disposes them not to think of those like themselves†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (485). With aristocracies, a society not concerned with equality, there is a ligature between individuals within each socioeconomic class. For instance, the noblemen associate with noblemen, while the poor associate with the poor. However, with societies based on equality, mankind is no longer divided by their means. The wealthy are equal to the poor in rights and freedoms, but not in monetary wealth. Lacking this unification amongst each other’sShow MoreRelatedThe Issue of Overcoming Racial Inequality in the United States2632 Words   |  11 PagesThe label of inferiority poses immense challenges on the structure of a society. Branding a group of people as â€Å"savages† creates divisions in society that drastically affects how individuals are supposed to interact with these â€Å"inferiors.† It makes you think of someone who is uneducated or unsocialized, one who is not granted full rig hts and privileges. Other words that might have the same the sort of connotation for many in the United States today are â€Å"alien,† â€Å"immigrant worker,† or â€Å"illegal immigrantRead More From Individualism to Unionism: The Changing Meaning of Freedom in America3158 Words   |  13 Pagesvision—one with a relatively balanced division of wealth, a population of homogenous skilled workers, and a narrow definition of equality based on a broad definition of freedom—to the highly industrialized urban nation glorified by the World’s Fair itself—one of polarized wealth, vast and increasing numbers of unassimilated, unskilled workers, and a demand for a return to the old equality at the expense of the old concept of freedom. Turner’s thesis was threaded with observations of these changes, and madeRead MoreThe Causes and Outcomes of the French Revolution1975 Words   |  8 Pagesat the same time to prevent defeat in war by the combi ned forces of Austria, Prussia, and Britain. The so-called reign of Terror was instituted to quash both internal and foreign forces of counter revolution. But once these internal and foreign threats were under control in the spring of 1794, Terror continued at the direction of the Committee of Public Safety, the most famous member of which was Maximiliean Robespierre. This last period of Terror was aimed at eliminating political rivals of RobespierreRead More Promoting and Protecting Minority Rights Essay2310 Words   |  10 Pagesmajority rule. Since, of any possible outcome, the worst would be a situation in which a minority group is denied rights, not due to simple social complication, but instead due to a general lack of government protection. While a democracy is based on majority rule, minority rights must not be disregarded. One of the principles of democracy includes a minority receiving equal opportunity to become a majority, and thereby providing competition for the majority of the time. Competition has potential