Tocqueville On Democratic Despotism And Its Overcome

Tocqueville's democratic despotism reflects his unique concept of democracy and reflection on modernity and modern politics.Tocqueville's democratic thought has rich connotations.Under the framework of the contrast between aristocracy and democracy,Tocqueville understands democracy as the social status that tends to be equal under the modernity first,and secondly,he understands democracy as the people's sovereignty and majority rule.Tocqueville points out that democracy has a blind instinct.With the development of individualism,hedonism and centralization in modern society,the national political power is out of control and constrained possibly,leading to the emergence of a new kind of tyranny which Tocqueville calls democratic despotism.Unlike tyranny of the majority,democratic despotism is a moderate form of slavery aimed at eliminating the political life and human publicity and expelling people from the “city”.Tocqueville's democratic despotism essentially reflects the deepening of individualization and the loss of publicity and community in the context of modern natural rights and social contract.Although Tocqueville predicted the democratic despotism as early as the 19 th century,modern politics did not develop as he expected.In fact,modern politics have the possibility of democratic despotism indeed.Under the rule of Liberal democracy based on the concept of negative freedom,on the one hand,it is impossible to provide independent,free and equal individuals with necessary and sufficient reasons for political participation and public action.On the other hand,the complexity of the political system and political practice professionalism has made it increasingly impenetrable for citizens to engage in political participation fully and effectively.When detached from the practical subject,democratic politics naturally has the risk of democratic despotism.Tocqueville looks for ways to overcome the democratic despotism in American political practice: local autonomy,freedom of association,freedom of the press,and the reshaping of religious beliefs.Tocqueville's democratic despotism provides a useful reference for thinking about the relationship between man and politics under modernity and where the community should go.The first chapter mainly introduces the Tocqueville's democratic thought,points out its close relationship with the times,and especially shows the particularity of Tocqueville'sdemocratic thought in comparison with contractarian liberalism and classical republicanism.The second chapter discusses Tocqueville's discovery of democratic despotism.First,it points out the two meaning of Tocqueville's democracy and explains the causes of democratic despotism.The third chapter focuses on the serious consequences caused by the democratic despotism.The first section attempts to give a more accurate and complete definition of democratic despotism.The second section shows the unique nature of democratic despotism in contrast with tyranny of the majority.The last chapter is about the formation and alienation of modern politics and the global political crisis caused by the field of practice.If such a global political crisis is allowed to develop,democratic despotism Tocqueville called will come true.To overcome it,it is necessary for us to tap the thought resources from Tocqueville and rethink and attach importance to political freedom and public life,to give the community a certain status in modern society.