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Equality And Philosophy Alexis De Tocqueville Essay

Alexis de Tocqueville is best known for his development of political theories addressing equality in the social order and the way that revolutions were imminent in states where the masses were controlled by the aristocracy. The French political thinker had observed the benefits associated with equality being present in a community and linked this concept to the French Revolution in an attempt to demonstrate that the general public is inclined to discourage instances involving the upper classes attempting to exploit less privileged individuals. "Democracy in America" and "The Old Regime and the Revolution" perfectly exemplify Tocqueville's rationale, as they both concentrate on the idea of developed nations promoting equality and thus influencing the masses to express disproval toward traditional political systems. To a certain degree, the two texts can be considered an essential step in the development of democracy during recent centuries. Tocqueville provided society with the opportunity to gain a more complex understanding of why aristocracy was no longer sustainable in environments where individuals are more supportive with regard to equality. The French political thinker was inspired to write "Democracy in America" consequent to visiting the country and learning more...

By relating to Puritans in America and to how women were treated there, Tocqueville provided readers with the opportunity to observe factors that are probable to improve living conditions for the masses in a certain community. By addressing the idea of aristocracy in particular, he intended to prove how women are more likely to be seen as equals in a society where aristocracy no longer has an influence over the masses. The fact that aristocracy is strongly connected with the idea of patriarchy made it difficult for many women living in such communities to be able to express themselves freely, as they were largely discriminated by men and perceived as having a lower status.
One of the most intriguing things about Tocqueville is that he was born in a family that was particularly supportive of the old regime. It was during his stay at the College Royal in Metz that Tocqueville started to express doubt with regard to the effectiveness of the old regime. His interest in philosophy enabled him to have a more general understanding of the social order -- including the fact that the upper classes were responsible for maintaining an unjust system.

Tocqueville's principal set of ideas revolve around the concept of the inevitable fall of…

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"Biography of Alexis de Tocqueville." Retrieved September 27, 2015, from http://www.gradesaver.com/author/alexis-tocqueville/
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