interest and personal gain motivated the actions of most Americans‚ which in turn cultivated a strong sense of individualism. Tocqueville believed that this individualism would soon "sap the virtue of public life" (395) and create a despotism of selfishness. This growth of despotism would be created by citizens becoming too individualistic‚ and therefore not bothering to fulfill their civic duties or exercise their freedom. Tocqueville feared that the political order of America would soon become aimed at
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For example‚ the war between the Greeks and Persians between 492 B.C.E. and 479 B.C.E. resulted in two world powers going head to head with each other. Greece is believed to be the symbol of Europe and for freedom‚ while Persia represents Asia and despotism. This allegation towards the two countries doesn’t come without reason. For both these are true and untrue depending on which way you decide to perceive it. Greece is made up of many small independent city states. Each one has its own form of government
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Democracy in America: Individualism and Materialism. Volume 1 concentrates on the influence on democratic social state on laws and political mores. * Democracy in America * Impressed and optimistic Volume 2 concentrates on the influence of democratic social state on civil society and culture. * Democracy as such. * Apprehensive and gloomy. Volume II Part I: Chapter 1: On the Philosophic method of the Americans * “It is religion that gave birth to the Anglo-American
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their constitutions‚ the US Constitution was to be ratified by special state constitutional conventions. This virtually made it impossible for Congress to change the Constitution on an impulse or to even abolish it‚ leaving no room for “democratic despotism”. It also placed sovereignty with the people and not with governmental institutions. This very important principle of sovereignty was carried over from the revolution but seemingly got lost in some of the states’ legislatures. The Constitution considered
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I ask a favour that I fear will not be granted; it is that one not judge by a moment ’s reading the work of twenty years‚ that one approve or condemn the book as a whole and not some few sentences. If one wants to seek the design of the author‚ one can find it only in the design of the work. ’ (Montesquieu 1989: preface) The Spirit of the Laws took Montesquieu twenty years to write and was first published in Geneva in 1748. It was distributed freely‚ without the hindrance of censorship and deemed
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In The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some are so Rich and some are so Poor‚ David Landes sets out to elucidate the causes of the divergent destinies of different economies. In doing so‚ he presents economic history as a profoundly Eurocentric anecdote. He posits that Europe’s industrial revolution is the epicenter of modernity and the means of how some--largely western Europe and northwest Europe’s settler ex-colonies--have grown rich. He also conceives‚ that relative poverty elsewhere is
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Tocqueville argues that civil society fosters the social norms and trust necessary for people to work together and teaches individuals to appreciate and effectively use their liberties. Consequently‚ civil society promotes democracy and checks despotism. Many Western writers wholeheartedly accepted Tocqueville’s definition of civil society. In both his book‚ Making Democracy Work‚ and his article‚ Tuning In‚ Tuning Out: The Strange Disappearance of Social Capital in America‚ Robert Putnam treats
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eventually attract the hatred of the noble class in France‚ leading to his dismissal by King Louis XVI. While he did advocate for an absolute monarchy‚ his ideas were quite progressive for his time‚ and helped lead revolutionaries to a rejection of despotism and his ideas contributed to the start the French Revolution. During Turgot’s time as a minister
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Jefferson mentions four truths‚ which he says are "self-evident." Name these and argue for or against the notion that they are indeed "self-evident." 8. Find and write the meaning to the phrase "absolute despotism." Jefferson says it is the "right and duty" of mankind to fight this "absolute despotism." Why? 9. Compare the tone or attitude expressed towards the British people with that towards King George III. List and explain those words that aid you to understand this tone. 10. Find‚ list and explain
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With all the glory and the splendor that some countries may have experienced‚ never has history seen how only one man‚ Napoleon‚ brought up his country‚ France‚ from its most tormented status‚ to the very pinnacle of its height in just a few years time. He was a military hero who won splendid land-based battles‚ which allowed him to dominate most of the European continent. He was a man with ambition‚ great self-control and calculation‚ a great strategist‚ a genius. Certain individuals approved
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