Why Citizens in Democracy Must Embrace Individualism

Democracy in America by Tocqueville

Tocqueville provides various reasons from despots as to why citizens must embrace individualism. In his arguments, Tocqueville shows that democracy breeds selfish individualism. According to Tocqueville, individualism is a feeling that is calm that makes every citizen be disposed from one another, or isolates citizens, from the rest of the masses, and is withdrawn from a circle of family and friends. This makes individualism be a stepping-stone that leads to egoism. Individualism is invaluable to people living in a democratic society. These people tend to be disjointed from their larger families and the communities. This is unlike in aristocratic societies where people are living together, with the families and communities taken to be critically important and of immense concern. In fact, despots do not like such societies or people. They like people who portray signs of caring for nothing or no one as long as they are getting what they want. With individualism, according to Tocqueville, people are merely concerned with things that are near them. They are visitors from their communities, and they do not care what is taking place in their lives. They are disjointed from their communities as they keep moving in search of better living. Such attributes make despots more capability and with little pressure in offering tyrannical leadership (de Toqueville 2006).

It is evident that despots call individualistic people 'good citizens' who care for none but themselves.' These are citizens who are good for their independence and 'no care' attitude as they try to arrive at meeting their destinations. Besides being less concerned of what takes place in their lives, despots like to work with people who do not have to be grouped to have the strength of unity. They have a feeling that managing people who care for nothing else other than themselves is much direct and easy, unlike people who are connected to their purpose. In fact, despots would go on to called citizens who embrace individualism as Democrats. From despots' perspective, such people do not have a direct care for the tyrannically influences and activities within the government. Nonetheless, they are just concerned about their interests as accorded through the democratic nature of the country. Tocqueville goes further to explain the dangers of democracy, with individualism being one of them. In fact, this is a chance for the government or a tyrant leader to be part of the process of bringing leadership. It becomes an easy task for a tyrant leader to be concerned with people with consumerist behavior since they are directed by the individual desires and not that of the family or the community (de Toqueville 2006).