Citizen and State: Tocqueville, Liberty, and Public Life

Tocqueville’s classic work on American democracy argues that social factors in the United States are at least as significant as its Constitution. The direct democracy of New England towns, the Christian religion of the people, and the education of women to be free citizens all contribute to forming a populace capable of democratic self-government. These social forces cultivate the virtues and skills necessary for a successful democracy. Tocqueville also acknowledges the dangers democracy can pose to freedom, chief among them the tyranny of the majority and the rise of individualism. America is not immune to these threats. Yet, the social structures and habits of the young democracy instill in its citizens a doctrine of “self-interest well understood.” This self-interest, Tocqueville admits, is not a noble virtue, but it embeds within the social fabric a vital safeguard for liberty in a government otherwise instinctively oriented toward equality. According to Tocqueville, American society has, in practice, found a way to reconcile freedom and equality.

Highlighted Modules:

1. Manners and Mores: The Foundation of Liberty

2. Townships: The Laboratory of Democracy

3. Tyranny of the Majority: The Foremost Threat to Republican Government

5. Religion and Toleration: The Precondition for Democracy

Candidates will showcase their newly gained policy insight by completing their choice of an op-ed or policy memo. Projects are due a week after the end of program and will be assessed by committee upon the basis of their strategic soundness, original analysis, and grasp of the policy area. The quality of this project will determine if candidates are awarded the certification.