De Tocquevilles democracy In America Essay -- essays research papers

     Alexis De Tocquevilles Democracy in the Statesdelves deep into how the American States and the federal government would growpolitically and socially under the umbrella of democracy. He sees the UnitedStates as a unique entity because of how and why it started as healthful as itsgeographical location. De Tocqueville explains that the foundations of thedemocratic process in America are have intercoursely different from anywhere else onthe globe. The land was virginal and the colonies had almost complete sovereigntyfrom England from the really beginning because they were separated by an oceanand fiscal troubles. The people who came to America were the oppressedand unhappy in England and all were trying to dumbfound a place where they couldstart a invigorated and create a political structure that would facilitate an individualfreedom unlike anything that they had previously experienced in Europe. DeTocqueville believed that the nature of democracy in the New World rested withinthe fact that all of the emigrants were basically from the same social strata,resulting in the first new country where there was no preliminary basis foran aristocracy. "Land is the basis of an aristocracyand in America whenthe ground was prepared, its produce was found to be insufficient to enricha proprietor and a farmer at the same time(41)." He saw that even the soilof America was opposed to the structure of an aristocracy.                                                   Therewere also outside influences lending unvoiced support for the creation of thisnew democracy. Being an ocean apart from its mother country, who at this timedid not have the financial reserves to oversee its colonies, let the Americansgovern themselves. If they had not had this sove reignty at the beginning Americamight have become something completely different than it is today, save thatwas not the case, so these emigrants now had a fertile place to plant theirideas of a country founded upon the many ideas of the Enlightenment. Anotherlarge influence was the lack of neighbors. America had no ... ...manresponsible for herself.De Tocqueville has left no aspect of American societyout of his publication. He rips the American body open and examines all thethings that are privileged right down to the bare bones. It is a little scaryto read of ones own nation and its culture. To realize that ones own lifeis not how he made it, but of how his ancestors have created society. Whetherit be as to how Americans view their politics, or their social afflictions,de Tocqueville voices his opinions as to what is commendable, are conversely,what is wrong with every aspect of America. He sees America through the eyesof intelligent outsider who has no reason to make America so und anything                                                   otherthan it is. He has done a very thorough job, and his vision of nineteenthcentury America will surely help lead America into the twenty-first centurywith a better commentary of itself.