SOCI 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Inheritance, Alexis De Tocqueville, Political Freedom
Document Summary
Tocqueville felt like he needs to lay out concepts that people need to understand. Concepts for new political science -> sociology. Two social states: the social state of equality, the social state of aristocracy. No such thing as a purely equal or hierarchical society, every society is a mix of (hierarchy) both. The revolutionary change that brought about equality. Had to passed down to the eldest male, or next male in line (women could not inherit) Property and inheritance crucial because the change meant that property could be divided and women could inherit. Inheritance law changes the way production can be done and it changed the. People"s attitude towards the social world changed with inheritance, became more preoccupied with their materials. Attitudes change -> see themselves as individual people that are by themselves, no longer need to consult other people. Family structured around the ownership of property that they work on.
