Democratic man and democratic mentality : a Tocquevillian perspective

Abstract

This thesis explores and discusses Alexis de Tocqeuville's theories on democracy. The view set forth here is that Tocqueville’s work has significant normative and explanatory power on a number of issues and challenges in present-day democracy. The centre of attention here is not primarily the structural, institutional or judicial aspects of democracy. Rather, the points of departure for this thesis are certain sociological, cultural and psychological aspects of modern democratic society, and in this regard Tocqueville is perceived here as a far-sighted thinker who provided less a general theory of modern democracy than a set of perceptive psychological insights into the democratic mentality and democratic man. What Tocqueville describes is democracy’s impact on democratic man’s political mindset and his preferences, outlook and values, and the consequences that the principle of equality as a guiding moral principle exerts on modern society. His insight and perception concerning the future of democracy were in some ways disturbing and even dramatic, but his concern was not to draw an overly pessimistic picture of the democratic future, but rather to portray the weaknesses and strengths of the democratic movement, which he perceived as inevitably moving forward.