Exploring The Concept Of Freedom In Tocqueville's Old System And The Great Revolution

Alexis Charles Henry de Tocqueville was a great French political thinker and historian. Tocqueville, although it was a man of noble birth family, was keen to promote democracy and free, noble birth did not prevent him observing the society calmly and objectively.Tocqueville was most cherished value of freedom in our hearts throughout his life. He was very worried that people give up freedom, because of paying too much attention to the fight for equality and democratic process. Freedom is the main line from in The Old Regime and the Revolution from the beginning to the end.Research of this paper will attempt to analyze and explore the concept of freedom which Tocqueville expressed in his book "The Old Regime and the Revolution" after proving the feasibility, and try to generalize freedom advocates and restore Freedom scene in the minds of Tocqueville. Meanwhile, commenting the concept of Freedom limitations, values, and theoretical and practical enlightenment in The Old Regime and the French Revolution of Tocqueville.This paper is divided into five parts. Prior to this, the feasibility of the paper were demonstrated. They are Basis and Meaning of this paper, Research situation in China and abroad, Research Methods, Innovation.The first part of "The Old Regime and the Revolution" analyzes the background of the formation of the concept of freedom as well as the process in which the class status of Tocqueville and analyzes of the formation of view of freedom briefly.The second part summarizes and describes Theory of freedom of Tocqueville in the "The Old Regime and the Revolution". First of all, Tocqueville compared the power of the nobility in British and French to discussed freedom and the relationship between freedom and equality. Secondly, he analyzed the difference between Aristocratic free and Democratic freedom. Finally, he analyzed a special freedom, namely the clergy fight for freedom in church.The third part of the paper discusses the lack of freedom of Tocqueville and influence of lacking freedom. Firstly, lacking freedom of Tocqueville is analyzed under the old system before the Revolution and under the centralized system After the Revolution, analyzing the process of losing freedom about the peasants, nobles, lords and so on. Then we analyze his view about the influence of the lack of freedom.The fourth part of the paper discusses and concludes four ways to achieve freedom about Tocqueville.The fifth part of the paper evaluates Freedom in "The Old Regime and the Revolution". The first of this part analysis the constraints of Freedom in mind of Tocqueville. The next part expounds the value of Tocqueville Freedom and the Freedom theory meaning and practice of enlightenment in China.The last part of the paper is the conclusion.To be explored the thought of freedom scattering in "The Old Regime and the Revolution" of Tocqueville can help expand the space of political theory, rich explore issues of freedom. The concept of Freedom of Tocqueville inherited and developed some important themes of modern Western concept of freedom in theory. It examines and analysis the liberal democracy in the major West capitalist countries in practice. At the same time, it has a certain reference value for us which can help us to establish a correct concept of freedom among the people, or construct democratic system at the macro level.