Compassion and the softening of mores

Article Abstract:

Alexis de Tocqueville claims in 'Democracy in America' that democracy necessarily functions to soften mores. Compassion was shown on an individual level in the US during Tocqueville's time, but has now become institutionalized, and thus depersonalized and diluted. New democracies, especially in East Asia, indicate that democracy may be a necessary condition to produce the softening of mores described by Tocqueville, but that it may not be a sufficient condition. Tocqueville admired the US for its attempts to invent social conventions appropriate to democracy. This remains the greatest challenge facing democracies.

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Economic inequality and democratic instability

Article Abstract:

Alexis de Tocqueville was aware that democratic rule could be insufficient to eliminate very strong inegalitarian tendencies present in the development of capitalism. He was particularly influential for the way he related the negative and positive aspects of social equality to the practice of political democracy. His example should be scrutinized by modern observers. The negative impact on democratic aspirations, institutions and rules by inequality is the most significant threat currently facing democracy in the Americas.

Analysis, Social justice

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