Sunday, October 31, 2010
Chapter 4, pages 194-195
In Chapter 4 Tocqueville argues that Americans have what's called political association but this differs substantially from Europe. Tocqueville says that Americans basically talk their ideas out, but cease to ever accomplish much. Whereas Europeans are not looking for an outlet to express their ideas but make their ideas a reality. A fatal flaw in European association he says is the possibility of tyranny and oppression. Leaving Tocqueville to decide America's freedom to associate is a much more civilized one. I found the argument surrounding his central theme engaging . He argues because Europeans never have a chance of representing the majority they instead result to a less than stellar means of accomplishing their goals. He claims that in America we do not have this problem because a difference of opinion is nothing more than an annoyance. We are free to think and speak how we feel but unlike Europe everyone has this same ability. What I took away from this chapter is that in America their is a sense of respect for others ideas. This same sense of respect for others ideas in Europe is something less tolerable.
Kristy,
ReplyDeleteYou've focused on an interesting point: European intolerance toward a diversity of views. He does think Americans have more diversity, although later in the book he's going to talk about how the majority and public opinion threatens that diversity. I don't think he thinks voluntary associations are just talking about ideas, though, but trying to carry them out as well.
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