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The Reflection And Remodeling Of Equality

Posted on:2016-06-17Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:F L WanFull Text:PDF
GTID:2296330461458789Subject:Legal theory
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"Equality" is a word full of strong power and ethical value, and its connotation is also accompanied by the development of human civilization. From the original expression of equality to the system structure of equality theory, from the increasingly abundance of equality content to the continuously expansion of equality value, equality has been transformed into a full system of right value. People’s political participation and the awakening of consciousness of individual rights make equality become a new political order problem, while the baptism of the revolutionary movement and the influence of the enlightenment make Tocqueville have original ideas and insights about the concept of equality. Facing the political consequences of continuously pursuing equality, Tocqueville felt deeply regrets. He tried to tune the dialectical relation between freedom and equality, in order to realize the coexistence of their political ecologies. As long as we are in the right state of mind with clear consciousness, the rights wishes can be expressed rationally and sincerely, and the equality resources can also be enjoyed fully and deeply. As a result, Tocqueville began to construct his new political theory, and completed the reflection and remodeling of the concept of equality. And the process of reflection and remodeling is not only containing the political concern of Tocqueville, but also the breakthrough point to understanding of his political theory.The first part mainly introduces the causes of the formation of Tocqueville thoughts. Knowing well of revolution history and people’s mentality, Tocqueville worried about the current situation, which submitted to slavery in order to enjoy the equality. In French people’s eyes, the equality crisis that hidden behind the equal opportunity had evolved into a political revolution and social crisis. To Tocqueville curiosity, American society was not influenced by this sentiment. Tocqueville intended to compare and think about the French revolution and democratic practice in the United States, in order to realize the construction of his new politicaltheory.The ideology of equality is one of the core content of the political theories. Therefore, the analyzation of the causes of equality is very important to understand the connotation of Tocqueville political thought and its historical limitations. This part tries to analysis the theory and social roots of his equality theory on the basis of theoretical and social view.The second part shows good aspect and evil aspect of Tocqueville’s understanding of equality on the whole. Tocqueville summed up "equality" as the characteristics of modernity, thinking it can promote free thought, stimulate the public spirit, breed rights concept and cultivate the legal consciousness. Tocqueville was very pleased because people that deeply edified by enlightenment dared to break through the shackles of hierarchy, and express their longing and pursuit of social equality through the actual action. But when people were immersed in the victory of the revolution, the new slavery and political disaster had quietly appeared. The weaken of person’s personalities and social vitality, the spread of individualism and moderate tyranny and the breed of self-interest and materialism were just the historical appearance of this political disaster, which was very feared to Tocqueville.The third part mainly introduces the measures to deal with the evil of equality by Tocqueville. The despotism and tyranny caused by people′s extreme love of equality and neglect of freedom made Tocqueville feel the “pain of democracy” and experience the political disaster in social practice. Tocqueville tried to open the rescue mode of political crisis through building a new political theory, and eventually cure evil of equality. In his opinion, he can rein the potential threat of equality through political freedom, can purify people’s mind through religion, so as to realize the tuning between personal morality and public virtue, can against individualism through the principle of "the correct understanding of benefits", in order to realize the rational regression of people.The conclusion mainly discusses the core theory of "equality", the historical limitations of Tocqueville’s equality theory and Tocqueville’s journey of heart in the perspective of the history. Looking into the historical route of development of equality, we can divide the viewpoints of ideologists into two categories: absolute equality and relative equality. However, the two viewpoints complement each other without difference of good or evil. As a political thinker in particular historical period, Tocqueville revealed some limitations on its equality, mainly showed in the field of research, content and object. Thought always be tested in the political practice and constantly improved in the historical process. However, how to tune the nice political imagination with the realistic social order test the wisdom of the people and the consciousness of the whole society.
Keywords/Search Tags:Tocqueville, Equality, Political trouble, Political freedom
PDF Full Text Request
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