Freedoms II Final Exam

What does T look at Am as the model of?

democracy

Purpose of Democracy in america?

to explain to french how a democracy should work

book of poliical theory and study of society

What determines whether a society is democracy?

mores.habits of ppl

what is T struck by in Am?

equality of conditions, no class divisions, pretty equal rel/mores

from this social condition, the laws, public spirit, beliefs, habits flow

What inf;luences habits?

social conditions

What is the primary characteristic of dem?

equality, comes out of Christianity, seems to be God's will

What does T say the first time equality emerges is

the clergy, then goes to govt

commoners fund the king and commerce becomes important, then financers increase in importance

as Enlightenment spreads, the taste for lit creates an educated elite

What is the problem with democracies?

can become despotisms bc ppl chose the despot over governing themselves

Describe T's dream society?

love of govt as necessary, political roles as duty, free associations replace the power of nobles

What are the benefits of aristocracy?

unites ppl to oppose tyranny togetehr

Democracies don't hv mediating powers (need pol associations)

What is the problem with rel opposing dem in eurpoe?

ppl see Chr as enemy

What has america discovered according to T?

way to maintain freedom and order

What provided the mores of Am dem?

puritan founding set the mores, founded on equality and freedom + GOd

Fr founded on atheistic freedom/pol equality

2 ways to make equality

give rights to everyone or rights to no one

What does T say is the object of everyone's desire?

equality, not freedom

problem is some prefer servitude equality to freedom where some are stronger

as men become more and more alike what do they place more value on?

equality

How to maintain freedom for T?

ppl participate in govt in ballot box/day to day live via newspapers/pol associations/parties

What are dominant parties distinguished by for T?

material interest, not divided by rel

What does T say is unique abt rich in Am

dont show distrust of ppl

freedom of press. + ------ go togetehr

sovreignty of the ppl

Describe Am press?

less theoretical, give voice to frustrations

ads, news, anecdotes etc no pol pieces

press power weakened bc Am is decentralized

unites ppl not educates, circulates pol life

What does equality of condition make ppl do?

makes ppl weak, hv to combine together to get things done

associations hv more pwr than press

even kids designate leaders/set up rules

Describe why Europe rejects univ suffrage?

b/c wont find best person for office

Why does T argue Uni suffrage works for Am

represents all the ppl

frequent elections are a means by which every election ensures voice of ppl are heard

primarily middle class, so govt is economical

What does T say abt Am legislature

Eur sees inconsisten legis as instability

but society lives from day to day--means quick corrections

lots of change/no administration makes ppl freer

Role of press/associations:

free/fill in gap btwn govt and ppl as mediators to express views of ppl thru factions

What underlies dem?

grows with exercise of rights,

intermingles w personal interest

united by empire of reason

identified by their rights

Dem kept up by rights + laws + habits/mores

What do rights imply?

corresponding duties, rights bring virtue

as rel disappears, notion of divine rights disappears

If despotism comes to Am.....

it will find it more difficult to defeat habits to which freedom has given birth than in surmounting the love of freedom itseld

When is central for a dem society

family + churchs impt because work through individ/fam

moral empire of the majority

maj has right to do everything because they make the laws

but tyranny of maj is limited by the short time of governing + the fact that there's higher justice

What does T say is greater than a kng

majority of ppl in thought

Why does Am self censor?

mores determine what is published -- no one will buy

What is the most powerful administration

unelected---freedom maintained through elections

What does T argue matters more to dem than laws?

mores--doesn't matter if have laws if no one keeps

Mores

habits of thought, morals, opinions, way of thinking, what one pursues, character

How does Am benefit from providence

no warlike neighbors

decentralized power

habits + mores that make a repub flourish

material wellbeing

dependent on no one, ca support their needs

extended by the character of the people as they move west

but can't go W without capiral so hv to be established in E w mores before can extend society W

T say ams are -----

restless--passion compells them W to make something new

restless bc nation of immis, immis flee bc adventurous/pol beliefs

What agitates Ams more than pol?

commercial passions, carry habits of trade into pol which brings order (moral bc busn depends on character)

pol passions changed by commercial passions (meets Fr rev leader in woods)

What maintains the influence of laws on a dem repub?

federalism, township, judicial power

What does T note abt RCC in Am?

most dem/repub class, adapt to mores bc primed to equality of cond

everyone adapts to equality, independence/freedom are the hardest partr

----- directs mores not ----

rel not govt

lots of diff rel sects, but all agree on duty of man to each other

Where does Ams appreciation of order come from?

from the home---women pass on mores

also church, faith inculcated from bottom up

What does T say beginning of freedom is?

submission to God

Even tho rel never mixes w govt, what does T say it is?

a pol insitution

What does sep of church and state allow for in Am?

allows rel to increase in pwr--rel is only hope and ppl can't live eithout hope

atheism not common to ppl

if attached togovt, hv to adopt maxims/associated w pol pwr/oppressions

When rel is connected to ------, can attract hearts of humanity

sentiments

-----, ----, and. ----- contribute to US democracy

enlight, habits, practical experience

What does T say abt N am tribes

disappearing, difficulty is that they don't fit in bc conflict of mores

clear that Am not try to kill N ams

What is the most dreadful threat to the union

Blacks bc contradiction with egalitarian

contemporary sl based on race, means ppl can't fit in once freed---prejudice

similar to class inequality in europe but that's determined by legisl, and sl determined by nature

What consequences does sl have?

econ consequences creates inequality--- S states poor

historically, Chr oppose sl but now reestabl in Am

Mores of sl culture

not honor work bc work is for bl

sl has no incentive to work

Why sl still grew in S as N introduced laws freeing them

when every child of sl is free, sl value goes down so sold S

those free in N given low paying jobs

Why won't sl be abolished in S?

afraid of majority bl + econ depends on it (cotton, tobacco)

What does T anticipate happening w sl?

rebellion like Haiti

sl like a trap--mores of sl limits their options

US govt v europe

confederate (sovr spread out, states getting more power with weakens unity)

unitary (sovr all in one spot)

Even tho newspapers unite Am, what is the problem

ppl in diff states hv diff econ interests

also opinions/sentiments in N/S are different which makes it hard to remain united

How does T view pwr structure in Am post rev war

looks like Fed govt growing, but as Am settled in, prosperty made ppl lose sight of unity that produced it---less patiortism

differences btwn states growing + untiy at risk

T says state v fed sovr in Am?

S nullifiers claim state sovr, but T says Const nope

freedom-----equality spectrum

freedom: free labor/strong society

equality: welfare/strong sttate

T say abt Am philosophy?

Ams not really interested in phil bc there's no leisured class

everyone working so no time to think abt their phil

begin with Cartesian skepticism + work things out with themselves

Despite no phil, what did Ams still hv?

still hv general ideas, think in Cartesian terms/enlight phil

see others as equal--> led back to own reason as a source of truth

What does T say abt Cartesian phil?

dem phil, brought on by Enlight

What tempers Cartesian for am?

religion, ppl dont doubt their faith

Despite holding/assuming Chr mores as true what are Ams?

skeptical in all other areas

hv Chr mores to depend upon

rel shapes Am ideas more than phil

What are weakness/strength of Ams depending on Chr mores?

weakness: what happens when Chr undermined

strength: dependeble mores

What do dem ppls need to hold society together?

dogmatic beliefs--public opinion

2 tendencies in equality?

bring man to new thoughts

extinguishes new thoughts/give up thinking (tyranny of the masses/thought)

What has become the new tyrant?

freedom inhibited by class system, but public opinion can become a new tyrant

Are ams passionate abt general ideas?

less than Fr, despite being governed by gen ideas

Ams depend on selves--hv specialized knowledge in one field

tendency to general ideas countered by practicality

rel + pure practicality counter radical ideas unlike FR

What is unique abt Am relation btwn dem + rel?

rel not enemy of dem, God thought in biblical/spiritual categories

What happens as ppl become equal?

become isolated + need to recognize something in common for everyone to do (rel directs ppl to a superior future)--helps freedom

What constrains ppls interest in their own wellbeing?

rel, church reminds ppl of afterlife, God, + spiritual greater than temporal

Does T think pastors should enter pol?

no, need separate so dont equte God with everyday things

certain lvl of piety is crucial

Because equality makes ppl judge themselves what does it give ppl a taste for?

one overall social power (RCC encourages)

What 2 directions does the hidden instinct push ppl according to T?

pantheism: forget individuals and focus on species

catholicism: unties all under 1

bc most equal religions

can freedom exist w/o dem?

yes, weak aristocractic govt

What makes ppl pursue equlity over freedom?

ppl fear freedom leading to anarchy so pursue equality bc evils of extreme equlity less noticeable

Individualism

bad bc withdraw into fam/friends and abandon society

from defects of heart/mind

works against participation in pol to preserve freedom

associations + newspapers help fight against

Even tho dems hv to hv common ideas, but ppl

need to share ideas so they are drawn out of themselves

self-interest well understood

helps combat individualism

help others because they will help u, helped by rel

(virtue defined by usefulness)

What does Am have a taste for?

taste for material well being/desire to secure more than hv

never enought bc could lose it

Even tho Ams concentrate on materialism, what also happens?

concentration on materialism causes spiritual reaction in the souls of some (2nd GA)

Even tho Ams hv great living cond?

sad b/c dont think of evils they endure but dream of goods don't hv

Even tho freedom helps production of wealth, T says...

danger if ppl focus on fortune bc ppl ignore pol duties which distract them from industry

What does T say is a dangerous combo?

irreligion + dem

Why is honoring work impt?

makes all professions equal, makes dem work

How could aristocracy emerge from industry?

worker poverty makes ppl immobile, counteracting dem freedom

division of labor makes worker weaker/more dependent as master is elevated

2 motions in society are?

dem and aristocracy

what become milder as conditions equalize?

mores as ppl see others as themselves

ppl are softer/sympathize w each other

contrasts w Fr aristocracy where lower class is not ppl

Am tend to treat others kinder

Am family

mrore equal

relations of kindness/love

w/ young kids dads are authoritative

but as older kids master of thought become master of conduct

inheritance equal

Do young ams have rebellious stage?

no bc start work so young

Dem loosens ------ but strengthens -----

social bonds but strengthens natural bonds

women

women make mores so all that influences them is of great pol influence

women see the world's vices/judge them

defend selves verbally, travel by selves

bc free society leads to license, hv to teach them to control themselves

mores also maintain women as they take on the rigors of founding new country

What happens to women when married

indep lost---marriage is strict contract

choose spouse

only marry once reason is mature---eur marry then mature

What contributes to good mores in AM?

equlity of conditions

stability arises bc Am women mores

Fr v Am equality

Fr rev tried to make men + women equal but degraded them

Am does't try to make them alike but each do own responsibilites-->marriage built on division of labor

men + women both capable of understanding

What do Am mores affect?

manners, but Am not interested in social graces

no ideal model to imitate

---- and ---- within the family seeps out to the -----

peace and order within the fam seeps out to the busn world