This paper explains why Americans continue to reflect and quote from Tocqueville's classic book, "Democracy in America," which was written more than 150 years ago and how it's still relevant in today's society.
Abstract This paper explores the reasons "Democracy in America" is repeatedly quoted as a commentator on life in America and why numerous politicians reference the book in speeches as well as political and presidential campaigns. The author goes on to explain why candidates and incumbents consequently turn to one of its most perceptive analysts, Tocqueville, as he mixes a gratitude towards democracy with an acknowledgement of its flaws. The book is often considered a major source for anyone who wants to better understand America. The paper also addresses the author's views on democracy, freedom and the role of the government.
From the Paper "The other danger Tocqueville acknowledged occurred when the people became so fixed in pursuit of material pleasures that they neglected their duties as citizens. "Under this system the citizens quit their state of dependence just long enough to choose their masters and then fall back into it."8 Democracy, then, could lead gently into a benign despotism, although there was no assurance that such a government would remain benign and much evidence to the contrary. In these elections, candidates typically remind the populace that voting is a key obligation as a way to preserve the essence of the democratic process. Candidates gradually begin to realize that the 21st century Tocquevillian America is not necessarily Republican, any more than Tocqueville's 1830s America inevitably voted for the Jacksonian Democrats. (The Whigs, when they escaped the thrall of their New England elites, won elections too, and in the 1990s Bill Clinton has shown that Democrats can win by convincing margins."
Tags: literature, democracy, united, states, government
Abstract This paper explores the issue of democracy using both modern day examples as well as references from Plato's "The Republic". The writer believes, like Plato, that America today is not a true democracy but rests in the hands of those who can afford to buy the popular vote. The writer also uses "The Republic" to examine democracy as it came about during the French Revolution. Overall, this paper attempts to bring Plato's ideas as a relevant reference for democracy today.
From the Paper "Plato defines three main functions of society- production, defense, and government. So, he explains, there are three classes of citizens: the producers, the fighters, and the governors. Each class, therefore, will have its own kind of virtue: temperance (obedience) in the producers, courage in the fighters, and wisdom in the governors. There is a fourth virtue, as Plato sees it. Justice."
Tags: society, politics, democratic, french, revolution, america
Abstract This book analyzes the book "Democracy in America", which was written in the middle of the nineteenth century by French traveler, Alec de Tocqueville. The author of this paper maintains that de Tocqueville's portrayal of his vision of the character and future of American society was practically prophetic. The paper reviews within a modern context de Tocquevill's references to the entrenched materialism and commercialism; class conflict; separate spheres for men and women; and of a confusion between freedom and equality. The paper illustrates how most of de Tocqueville's observations and analyses of the United States remain relevant today, more than a hundred years later.
From the Paper "For instance, in Chapter One of the second book of Democracy in America, the author states, "...equality, pushed to its furthest extent, may be confounded with freedom, yet there is good reason for distinguishing the one from the other. The taste which men have for liberty and that which they feel for equality are, in fact, two different things," (para. 5). The difference between liberty and equality, which is rarely vocalized as bluntly as it is in de Tocqueville's work, has been one of the underlying themes running throughout the course of American history. Whether class conflict, racial division, or gender role differentiation, American society has fulfilled de Tocqueville's image: "for equality their passion is ardent, insatiable, incessant, invincible; they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that, they still call for equality in slavery." Similarly, de Tocqueville summed up the nature of American materialism: "The heart of man is of a larger mold; it can at once comprise a taste for the possessions of earth and the love of those of heaven; at times it may seem to cling devotedly to the one, but it will never be long without thinking of the other," (Book 2, Ch. 15). Regarding most matters of American society and ideology such as gender and race relations; class conflict; political climate; and material culture, de Tocqueville hits the nail on the head; only a few of De Tocqueville's observations were off the mark."
Abstract This paper examines how the end of the 1812 war resulted in the emergence of two important phases in which America developed from a newborn nation to a political and economic superpower. These two phases were the Westward Expansion, which happened after the 1812 war and the Industrial Revolution, which had progressed following the Civil War of 1861. It looks at the issues that emerged from Westward Expansion and the Industrial Revolution which turned America into a super 'nation' and analyzes their relationship with the increased opportunities America had (economically and politically) that made the nation successful in its nation building and assertion of democracy all over the world.
From the Paper "Economic development gradually increased and improved in the west after the farmers had settled in. Agriculture flourished because of the cheap cost of the land, which enabled people to acquire it, and build their own houses and fields to till and cultivate. After the settlement of the farmers, professional workers also moved westward, such as ?doctors, lawyers. Storekeepers, preachers, and politicians.? During the expansion, economic prosperity occurred because of the prosperous cotton gin agriculture, which resulted to the emergence of many cotton plantations in the area. Also, the gold rush that happened after the discovery of gold in California in 1848 triggered an onslaught of new "migrants" to the west US area."
Tags: civil, war, democracy, west, indians, agriculture
Abstract The paper explains Michael Reid's main argument in his book, "Forgotten Continenent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul", that Latin America should matter to Americans, even if the mass media refuses to show any interest. The paper discusses how Reid contends that while there have been some major problems on the way to reform, a new world order is emerging in Latin America. The paper then looks at Reid's claims of improving democracies and serious social change. The paper asserts that much of the information in the first half of the book is factual and not easily disputed, however, the second half of the book is highly opinionated and with questionable evidence. The paper concludes that Reid's work is still an important contribution to the study of Latin American politics and their contribution to the global marketplace.
Outline:
Reid's Key Arguments
Evolution Rather Than Revolution
Conclusion
From the Paper "Latin American used to be considered a non-entity in terms of economic opportunity. When some one said, "Latin America" it typically conjured up images of primitive tribes, jungles, and ancient long lost ruins. It was not associated with a land of opportunity for investment and venture capital. However, Latin America continues to improve its image and is in the process of integrating into the global economy. Latin America is becoming a player in the world economy. Michael Reid's book, "Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul" examines Latin America in a new light. This book examines Latin America and its deepened democratic institutions as a world of opportunity and social advancement."
Tags: economy, poverty, democracy, reforms, mass, media
Abstract This paper examines how the existence of the Cold War had many effects on liberal democratic states and also affected to a degree the way in which democracy was, and continues to be, understood in these states. The paper explains that this includes the United States, which in some ways has come to see democracy as a given that more and more people have been willing to give up aspects of a democratic state in the face of a threat, as has been seen in the acquiescence of the people to a variety of intrusions on their democratic rights since 9-11. The paper also discusses how the success of democracy in the Cold War should have solidified that political ideology as to be preferred, but its very success seems to have opened it to new threats from within. In conclusion, the paper shows that more and more, liberal democracies are defining themselves in terms of collective security over individual preference, and this signals a profound shift in thought that only makes the future more uncertain.
From the Paper "Schlesinger says that America in the past has stood as an example of a federal, multi-ethnic society that worked, but he seems to believe that this is no longer the case. The U.S. has worked because it has been able to offer answers to the question of what reasons are there for different ethnic groups to see themselves as part of the same nation. Schlesinger now sees an eruption of ethnicity in America, which may have many good consequences, but which he also believes has many bad consequences."
Tags: autonomy, terrorism, politics, America, security, Cold, War
Abstract In this paper, the writer proposes that education is a vital tool if democracy is to develop and prosper. The paper states that education represents an essential instrument that a government, a country, and even an individual, can posses and must constantly improve on and that it represents the future of a nation. The paper continues and contends that adult education as a means of achieving democracy can be said to be one of the most important tools a state government can make use of in order to establish and develop a system based on the rule of law and democratic principles. The paper specifically examines two areas of the world where concerted efforts have been made to improve adult education in order to strengthen democratic values - South and Latin America and South Africa.
From the Paper "This is an important factor in the evolution of the democracy because it offers the older generation the possibility to reconsider their position inside a society which is constantly changing. Taking into account the fact that the younger generation is already on a different set of values, it is important to reduce this gap. Thus, adult education represents a set of norms which aim precisely at reducing this difference. Initiatives in this sense relate to actions addressing the basic levels of knowledge up to the highest ones. Thus, nongovernmental organizations as well as different international organizations address illiteracy among Latin Americans (Torres, 1990), one of the first steps towards achieving a more educated society. At the same time, the idea of eradicating illiteracy has also an impact on the way in which people receive information or get in contact with analysis and interpretations of different political evolution. It can be said therefore that another reason for which leaders such as Chavez of Castro are still in the frontline of international politics is the lack of access to information and at the same time the limited knowledge of the actual meaning of that information."
Abstract This paper examines what America looks like to an outsider, and what it means to people from different countries of the world as a state, as a people, and as a geographic region. It considers liberty, equality and democracy from the perspective of immigrants and of other countries of the world. The country is also considered in light of the views of Plato, Voltaire, Bismarck and Marx.
From the Paper "Although the origins of the country has its roots in the European colonization of the Americas beginning in the 16th century, the ideals of the United States of America are wedded to the Declaration of Independence in which the founding fathers of the country have committed the nation to the concept of equality, democracy, and liberty. These are the principles from which all subsequent U.S. politics, forms of government, economic policies, and social trends have taken their lead. While incorporating these ideas in the declaration of independence and, later, the U.S. constitution the founding fathers of America were greatly influenced by the 17th century English philosopher, John Locke and his theories on politics. Locke's ideas of the supreme sovereignty of the people, their natural right of changing a government that does not work in their interest, separation of the church from the state, and rule of the majority are reflected in the American Declaration of Independence."
Abstract This is a critical paper on the nature of American Democracy, largely focusing on the writing of James Madison and Alexis de Tocqueville. The author compares and contrasts the two writers and their respective philosophies, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of each in Democratic factions.
From the Paper "In his book, Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville spends a fair amount of time discussing the American's fondness for association. This formation of associations is looked upon by some, especially James Madison, as threatening and injurious towards the political process of the United States. By others, like Robert Putnam, this process of association can make life easier and contributes enormously to the idea of social capital. Often, the most difficult aspect of government is establishing how it will be run and how it will govern. The heart of this debate lies in whether or not it is better for American democracy to promote the political involvement of its citizens or whether to let the government "run of itself". It is my position that, although more democratic, Putnam and Tocqueville's concept of social equality would not be able to be maintained."
Abstract This paper provides a survey of the forms of government in recent Chilean history and how these have developed into a quasi democracy. It shows how Chile has long faced problems in instituting a true democratic system of government. It explains that while the earlier Chilean government was strongly democratic, the military coup under Pinochet has done harm to the image of democracy in Chile.
From the Paper "It has been stated that the failures of Democracy in Latin America are due to a lack of democratic tradition. Authoritarian rule is the norm, and democracy is ever an experiment, tried, but often rejected. Yet, every Latin American country is different, and has taken a different approach towards government. Chile has proven that the troubles of Democracy in Latin America are not due to a lack of democratic tradition alone. Chile had a long and stable democracy for most of its history, yet its democracy fell in one quick swoop. Democracy has made a comeback in Chile, but the question is, will it remain? Will the existing democratic traditions as well as a return to democracy make a lasting impact, or will it fall back to Authoritarianism like so many others? To answer this, the fall and return of democracy in Chile bears examination, as well as the current political situation in Chile."
Abstract This paper presents a chapter-by-chapter review of Michael Parent's book, "Democracy for Few". The book targets the present status of democracy in the United States and asserts that it is biased and does not harmonize with the present capitalism trend; the social order that is carved by the capitalist trend constantly violates and earns profits from such violations.
From the Paper "In the first chapter of the book, Parent discusses how the America come to be a capitalist nation and gives insight in to it various resources, like labor and capital that makes it a capitalist nation. Then he explains about how the United States started to first accumulate the wealth and then expand over the world by means of its companies. Then a little insight is given in to the very notion of who is the owner of the America, as he believes that it could not be the American nation, as most of the people in the nation have no interest in politics or whatsoever, but he names the Jews who have captured all the wealth and has formed a bloc that lead the democracy towards its ends alone."
Tags: wealth, bush, politics, capitalism, nation, america, united, states
Abstract This paper attempts to answer certain questions about America concerning religion, law, liberalism, and democracy and looks at how they intersect in society.
From the Paper "Kathleen M Sullivan undertook an exploration of religion and its intersection with a liberal democracy and commented that the unstated corollary of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U S Constitution is the affirmative creation of a secular civil order. The creation of such a civil order has, in Sullivan's view, the effect of prohibiting government from coercing, endorsing or even perhaps acknowledging the religious beliefs held by its citizenry. Sullivan states that just as the affirmative right to practice..."
Abstract The paper discusses how Langston Hughes' "Let America Be America Again" portrays American history as a failure to respect the propositions and principles it had set for itself in the beginning. The paper explains how the poem is composed to deceive the reader into believing that the text is lamenting the ideal past of the American nation, while the first stanzas are actually interrupted by parentheses in which the poet excludes himself from the common past of the American people. The paper therefore shows how "Let America Be America Again" opens up the historical past of the country, showcasing its failings and errors.
From the Paper "One of the greatest poets of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes introduces an essential reality of the American history in his work, Let America be America Again. The poem ironically discusses the American Dream and its intrinsic falseness. Hughes thus portrays the American history as a failure to respect the propositions and principles it had set for itself in the beginning. The failure of the American Dream is denounced by the series of persecutions pervading the American history. Hughes thus enumerates all the victims of the treacherous dream: the Native Indians who were savagely dispossessed of their land by the settlers, the African Americans who were enslaved, the poor white people who became the victims of capitalism. As an African American, Hughes feels he is one of those whose democratic ideals have been dreadfully cheated by the American history."
Abstract The two most prominent American political theorists, John Dewey and Benjamin Barber, argue that technology and economics have eliminated the role of individual and cooperative efforts to being about commonly desired consequences. This paper examines these two scholars views on American democracy and asks if this political practice is not self-destructive.
From the Paper "American political democracy had its roots and evolved from small closely-knit communities. The Town meetings were the means of securing communal ends. The much debated electoral college in the last Presidential election and the local school system are reminders that the "public" once operated primarily in highly localized and manageable situations. People had real power, as it is the essence of democracy, they could meet to discuses and resolve issues effecting the entire community. But the technological advancement, the industry and economics forces have broadened human associations beyond local community boundary lines. The new technologies of communications and travel has brought people closer in a way, which has gone beyond the normal community interactions and are more complicated."
Abstract This paper examines the use of and shifts in American foreign assistance policy to Russia and how those shifts and uses have impacted upon the former Soviet Union, or Russia herself. The paper addresses the following questions: 1.What has been the effect of American foreign aid to Russia since the collapse in 1989? 2.What are the specific efforts or programs initiated by the United States to provide assistance to Russia? 3. What are the functional powers that allow for such aid? 4. How does American foreign aid to Russia since 1989 reflect or deviate from past examples of American bilateral assistance? The paper offers a brief overview of the key transformations taking place in the former Soviet Union over the past 11-plus years. The paper argues that American foreign assistance to Russia has not succeeded in bolstering the country's emergent democratic institutions to the degree anticipated, largely as a consequence of internal Russian corruption and ineptitude and of America's failure to properly assess the Russian situation.
From the Paper "Any nation, including the United States, requires the ability to deal with its international environment in a flexible and effective manner. In practice, this often necessitates assuming the position of global peacekeeper or "policeman," as the U.S. has done in the cases of Grenada, Haiti, Panama, Bosnia, and Somalia (Nincic, 1988). Nincic (1988) notes that policy-making in a democracy must have three principal attributes: 1) it must be based upon the policy preferences of the public; 2) the powers of a democracy's managers must be constrained; and 3) policy must not violate rights and liberties."
Tags: ussr, united, states, gorbachev, liberty, capitalism, democracy, corruption, soviet, union
