Quote:
Originally Posted by roachboy
i dont dislike you ace.
you just say so many stupid things....
tocqueville talks about democracy in america in the 1830s.
i reference the argument and i situate it quickly in a historical context.
your powerful "critique" of the point is that tocqueville comes out of a historical context.
well no shit ace.
i said as much in the post.
|
First for anyone interested here is a link to the book in question, I recently read it since it came up in this discussion:
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA - Google Books
Second, Tocqueville writing is clearly influenced by his aristocratic background.
On the issue of wealth being passed from generation to generation, I note page 121, first full paragraph in his book he states that equality is connected to economic opportunity - I see that as a good thing. In European style aristocracy wealth was pass in whole from generation to generation not subject to break-up, not necessarily due to taxation, but due to the entire estate passing to a single heir without break-up as opposed to the system developed in the US where estates were subject to division to heirs. The implication of this is not having an entrenched aristocracy. Democracy nurtures economic opportunity through the creation of economic equal opportunity.