What Sort of Despotism Democratic Nations Have to Fear

Written By: Sheldon Richman  |  Posted: Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

The prophetic Tocqueville
I took the title from volume 2, section 4, chapter 6 of Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America. That chapter has been quoted many times in many places. But considering what has been happening legislatively of late (and not just in the last year-plus), it seems like a good time to revisit Tocqueville's writing about democratic despotism. He notes that despotism in a constitutional republic would be different from what it was in the Roman empire. How so? "[I]t would be more extensive and more mild; it would degrade men without tormenting them."

Specifically: "Above this race of men stands an immense and tutelary power, which takes upon itself alone to secure their gratifications and to watch over their fate. That power is absolute, minute, regular, provident, and mild. It would be like the authority of a parent if, like that authority, its object was to prepare men for manhood. . . ."

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