BF190 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: New Guardians, Private Sphere, Alexis De Tocqueville
Document Summary
One of the first to look at relation b/w equality and freedom. Hobbes, locke, rousseau saw the mas as compatible. Tocqueville pointed out the threat to liberty/individuality. *both liberty and equality are necessary in a democracy but people prefer equality so forget about or privatize liberty. Individualism in the private sphere is okay but not easy or welcome in the public sphere. Public indifference is fine for the new guardians. *private sphere in american democracy is made pleasurable in order to seduce us and get us to accept the new despotism (become a- political) Benefits of equality are quick and easy, benefits of liberty are slow and cause stress on equality. Thus: democracy does not cure despotism it decentralizes it. Recall montesquieu o(cid:374) de(cid:373)o(cid:272)(cid:396)a(cid:272)y(cid:859)s despotis(cid:373) and the spectre of inequality. America as the place to see what will happen as democracies spread around the world. Democracy not as much a good thing as an inevitability.
