Tocqueville begins to talk about and establish the three different races that were in occurrence during the 1830’s. He describes these three races as “naturally distinct…hostile to each other.” These two cues is what is discoverable at first glance between all the race, because of these differences barriers were raised right away through education, law, origins, and outward characteristics. The only leverage that brought them together was the soil were they stood. Tocqueville continues his conversation stating how their grew to be a social status between the three groups, being the European whites the highest. Society begins to be focused on the stratification, religious critic, political critic, and economic critic. These three critics allowed the European race to gain power.
Author: Emily Doyle
Tocqueville focuses his main topic on the development and history of America. He begins his conversation by comparing the growth of America, similar to the growth of humans. Tocqueville establishes that America has been one of the only countries that has been clearly observed from the beginning. Tocqueville states, “America is the only country in which it has been possible to witness the natural and tranquil growth of society.” America has been established from others such as French, English, the Spaniards, and all Europeans. With these citizens coming from other countries they each brought their views, opinions, and statuses. Most immigrants came to the coast of New England, therefore began to establish political views and classes. America was supposed to be land that was freed from classes and politics, but the English government views became relevant as America grew. Bringing these ideas, classes and riches, from England created a fatal delusion and greater impoverish. When thinking about these laws, they were not created by a government however by the persons interested in them. They grew from the customs of the community and the views from their government before. The customs that have been influenced when America first began has grown into the same views America has today. In the end, Tocqueville focuses this chapter on the growth of views and customs of America, how American politics began. He mentions that one can view America’s growth and views from the beginning, which today these views are continued. “Fantastic and oppressive” laws are enforced by those who are interested in them. Classes and wealth plays a key part in one’s everyday life. Therefore being able to read and see how America has developed, my question is “Why do American citizens have the same views and customs as they did when this country first began? Haven’t they realized that the people who live in America have changed their views and ways of life?”
Tocqueville focuses his text on the improvement of human kind. He expresses that man tries to exceed the “idea of human perfectibility.” That being said, Tocqueville talks about one trait that differentiates humans from “brutes,” mankind has the capability to improve oneself each day. However, Tocqueville carries his views in a direction that may define society. He believes that man contradict their own personal improvement and work towards the view of “perfection” that society has held for them. In striving for perfection from society, humans deny their own personal improvement and betterment for themselves. Society shows ranks and professions are held at a standard, but these standards change throughout the years and allows for mankind to constantly change as well. Man kind follows along with society hoping and striving for one day the overall perfection and improvement they have longed for. Toacqueville continues by even those who have cast away from society and began their own path, with their own beliefs, still conform to what society has laid out for them. As I began to understand and analyze Tocqueville words, I realized that he is right. If you look around, society plays a huge role in one’s life and each individual strives to be perfect and be better than those around them.