Tocqueville's Discussion Of Political And Civil Associations example essay topic

Tocqueville uses a cultura list and historicist perspective when explaining how democracy came to be as it is in America. He is also an institutionalism, in that it is the form and function of voluntary associations (free institutions) that do the work and maintain democracy. In Volume I of the book he describes many of the factors (cultural, historical, political, religious, intellectual) that created the "national character" of America and that contributes the birth and state of democracy in America. Tocqueville assigns agency to the original Americans - it is they who chose who their society would be and what it would not be. It would not be an aristocracy, it would not be despotic - it would be one where individuals were controlled their government. In his view, individuals have agency, but that agency is guided by the historical and cultural experiences they had in England.

He states", They have been allowed by their circumstances, their origin, their intelligence, and especially by their moral fee 3 ling, to establish and maintain the sovereignty of the people (Vol. I, Part I, pg. 60) ". Tocqueville is concerned with the formation and function of democracy, and is different from many of the other authors we read last week in that he is discusses the emergency of a new state type rather than decisions or policies being made by an existing states. He is less concerned in this book with "how states do what they do" as with why it is the state formed in the way that it did, the implications of that form, and the actions that individuals within it must take to maintain it. In the sections of Tocqueville we read for this week, however, it is clear that he believes that one way that the democratic state "does what it does" is through associations. As I am personally interested in social capital as a mechanism for enhancing community life, and in particular physical and mental well-being, Tocqueville's discussion of political and civil associations and how they function within and compliment democracy triggered my interest and is therefore the topic of the remainder this memo.

For Tocqueville, the work of democracy in America takes place in voluntary associations. This differs significantly how the work of society is done in aristocratic communities. He argues that this is because, under democracy, equality among people is stressed, and under conditions of equality people begin to trust in oneself rather than that of any other (i.e. individualism is fostered). Tocqueville states, "They (people under democracy) owe nothing to any man, they expect nothing from any man; they acquire the habit of always considering themselves as standing alone and are apt to imagine that their whole destiny is in their own hands (Part II, Vol.

II, pg 622) ". Tocqueville continues to say that it is this, equality's corresponding growth of individualism, which leads Americans toward the tendency to form associations. For him, increasing individualism creates a situation in which "all the citizens are independent and feeble; they can hardly do anything by themselves, and none of them can oblige his fellow man to lend him their assistance. They all, therefore, become powerless if they do not learn to voluntarily help each other (Part II, Vol. II, pg 630) ". Associations provide the mechanism in democracy for moving people to action and for shaping public policy.

Tocqueville describes the emergence and formation of associations as something "American" and something truly democratic. He observes that citizens are taught from youth and in schools to be individualistic and to mistrust governments and social authority; citizens are also taught that when action or the help of other is needed, that associations are the method to attain it. In his mind, peoples' participation in early political associations taught them the benefit of such participation and thus leads to the transference of such activity and benefits to the formation of civil associations. Experience with political associations leads to confidence and experimentation with other important forms of associations. The free development of political associations allowed under democracy was vital for the development of meaning civil associations. He describes how the political association demonstrated how results through group action could be obtained.

Members of those early associations learned how to surrender their own will and interest to that of the group for additional benefit. He says, "In politics men combine for great undertakings and the use they make of the principle of association in important affairs practically teachers them that it is their interest to help each other in those of less moment (Vol II, Part II, pg 641) ". In Tocqueville's mind, associations function not only to help individuals in democracy break free from their individualist isolation and remembers that they are part of a society that they can benefit from, but also function to combat some of the dangers of tyranny. As no one person is the head of an association and no one individual within an association can do too much him / herself, it is hard for a despot to rise up.

Associations are necessary under democracy where they are not necessary under aristocracy. In an aristocracy, one leader "forgets of himself and his self-interest and works for the good of all"; there is no need for associations of individuals as the leader takes care of all business. In a democracy, one maintains his / her self-interest, but argues that it is in everyone's interest to act in such a way - equality is virtuous - and that by working in associations, one can surrender their own will and interest to that of the group for no personal cost and potential additional group benefit. How I think that this view of Tocqueville gets transposed to social capital is that if a person helps another citizen in a democracy, it is still considered a self-interested act - perhaps it is "enlightened self-interest". The idea is that if I help by neighbor, then, when I am in need, he will likely help me. This is a seemingly ironic, yet important aspect of individualism.

If one is self-serving in all acts, then even helping others must be self-serving. Therefore, reciprocal relationships of trust and social capital are built throughout communities in a democracy. Of course, Tocqueville does not use the word "social capital", but does refer to this process. On page 633, he states "Feelings and opinions are recruited, the heart is enlarged, and the human mind is developed by no other means than by the reciprocal of men upon each other. I have shown that these influences are almost null in democratic countries; they must therefore be artificially created, and this can only be accomplished by associations". Again on pg. 647", The Americans are fond of explaining almost all the actions of their lives by the principle of interest rightly understood; they show with complacency how an enlightened regard for themselves constantly prompts them to assist each other, and inclines them willingly to sacrifice a portion of their time and property to the welfare of the state".

He continues to say that although individuals do not perform great acts of sacrifice for each other, they do daily small acts and that this becomes a habit and thus engrained in the behavior of communities. In America, our egotism / individualism is "enlightened (pg 649)". A present day implication of Tocqueville's book and words on associations is that the power of associations (an attribute of which I consider social capital - this reciprocal behavior of enlightened self interest) is being used by politicians of our day as an argument against the government provision of social programs (against the existence of a welfare state). It is true that Tocqueville is afraid of too much government. He advances the idea of associations as responsible for many of society's tasks rather than government. For Tocqueville, the fear was that the more the government did, the less individual would need to ban together in associations and the less they would achieve their own goals, and thus the more they would need government assistance.

The argument goes that if the power of democracy is in associations, then the government should not provide services as they can be provided from within the associations themselves. I would argue instead that the government should continue to fund social programs until the ills of society are lessened, but should also support policies and programs that support growth and proliferation of associations enhance the benefits of associations that Tocqueville describes. The two, I suggest, should work together no in substitution for one another.