Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) is a person.

• Context:
  • It can be a French aristocrat, political scientist, diplomat, and historian.
  • It can analyze democratic society through comparative political analysis.
  • It can examine democratic institutions through historical context and empirical observation.
  • It can identify democratic advantages and democratic dangers through political philosophical analysis.
  • It can predict democratic development through historical patterns and political philosophical insight.
  • It can compare American democracy with European political systems through political philosophical comparison.
  • ...
  • It can often critique democratic centralization through political philosophical writing.
  • It can often explore democratic equality and its social consequences.
  • It can often analyze democratic individualism and its effects on civic participation.
  • It can often examine religious influence on democratic stability.
  • ...
  • It can write influential political philosophical works such as "Democracy in America" and "The Old Regime and the Revolution".
  • It can participate in French politics during the July Monarchy and Second French Republic.
  • It can advocate for parliamentary government while remaining skeptical of democratic extremes.
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• Examples:
  • Political Philosophical Contributions, such as:
    • Democratic Analysis, such as:
      • Tyranny of the Majority Concept, identifying democratic risks to minority rights.
      • Democratic Individualism Theory, examining democratic social atomization.
      • American Exceptionalism Analysis, exploring unique democratic conditions in American society.
    • Political Philosophical Methodology, such as:
      • Comparative Political Analysis Approach, contrasting American democratic systems with European political traditions.
      • Historical-Empirical Method, combining historical observation with political philosophical reflection.
  • Literary Contributions, such as:
    • Democracy in America (1835-1840), providing comprehensive democratic society analysis.
    • The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856), examining French Revolution causes and political centralization.
  • Political Career Stages, such as:
    • July Monarchy Period (1830-1848), serving as elected deputy.
    • Second Republic Period (1849-1851), serving as cabinet minister.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Conservative Reactionary Thinkers, which oppose democratic principles rather than critically analyzing them.
  • Revolutionary Political Philosophers, which advocate for radical system change rather than evolutionary political reform.
  • Utilitarian Political Philosophers, which emphasize happiness maximization rather than democratic institution analysis.
• See: Political Philosopher, Democratic Theory, Liberalism, American Exceptionalism, Rule of Law, French Revolution.

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References

2021

• (Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_de_Tocqueville Retrieved:2021-6-11.
  • Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville (29 July 1805 to 16 April 1859), colloquially known as Tocqueville, was a French aristocrat, diplomat, political scientist, political philosopher and historian. He is best known for his works Democracy in America (appearing in two volumes, 1835 and 1840) and The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856). In both, he analysed the improved living standards and social conditions of individuals as well as their relationship to the market and state in Western societies. Democracy in America was published after Tocqueville's travels in the United States and is today considered an early work of sociology and political science. Tocqueville was active in French politics, first under the July Monarchy (1830–1848) and then during the Second Republic (1849–1851) which succeeded the February 1848 Revolution. He retired from political life after Louis Napoléon Bonaparte's 2 December 1851 coup and thereafter began work on The Old Regime and the Revolution. Tocqueville argued the importance of the French Revolution was to continue the process of modernizing and centralizing the French state which had begun under King Louis XIV. The failure of the Revolution came from the inexperience of the deputies who were too wedded to abstract Enlightenment ideals. Tocqueville was a classical liberal who advocated parliamentary government and was skeptical of the extremes of democracy. During his time in parliament, he sat on the centre-left, but the complex and restless nature of his liberalism has led to contrasting interpretations and admirers across the political spectrum. Regarding his political position, Tocqueville wrote "the word 'left' is [...] the word I wanted to attach to my name so that it would remain attached to it forever".

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