But Tocqueville holds his observation, opposite of the collectivists, in praise and awe. “America, then,” expounds Tocqueville, “exhibits her social state a most extraordinary phenomenon. Men are there seen on a greater equality in point of fortune and intellect, or, in other words, more equal in strength, than in any other country of the world, or in any age of which history has preserved the remembrance.”[5]
James Madison also warned in Federalist 10 of the destructive result of politicians pushing for equality. Madison vehemently cautioned that, “Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would at the same time be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.”[6] Madison’s foreshadowing of the dangerous issues with collectivist-statist is quite foreboding.
Economist Friedrich Hayek in 1945 lectured and wrote that Lord Action and Tocqueville “speak with one voice” on the subject of democracy and socialism. Hayek quotes Tocqueville stating, “Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.” Hayek continues by tying in Lord Action, quoting Action and stating, “The deepest cause which made the French revolution so disastrous to liberty was its theory of equality… the finest opportunity ever given to the world was thrown away, because the passion for equality made vain the hope for freedom.”[7]
[1] Alexis de Tocqueville, 2007 (originally published in 1835 and 1840), Democracy in America, Volumes 1 and 2, Unabridged, (Stilwell, KS: Digireads.com Publishing), p. 15.
[2] Alexis de Tocqueville, 2007 (originally published in 1835 and 1840), Democracy in America, Volumes 1 and 2, Unabridged, (Stilwell, KS: Digireads.com Publishing), p. 16.
[3] Alexis de Tocqueville, 2007 (originally published in 1835 and 1840), Democracy in America, Volumes 1 and 2, Unabridged, (Stilwell, KS: Digireads.com Publishing), p. 47.
[4] Alexis de Tocqueville, 2007 (originally published in 1835 and 1840), Democracy in America, Volumes 1 and 2, Unabridged, (Stilwell, KS: Digireads.com Publishing), p. 48.
[5] Alexis de Tocqueville, 2007 (originally published in 1835 and 1840), Democracy in America, Volumes 1 and 2, Unabridged, (Stilwell, KS: Digireads.com Publishing), p. 47.
[6] James Madison, November 22, 1787, Federalist Paper No. 10. Taken from James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, The Federalist Papers: The Classic Original Edition, (SoHo Books), p. 26.
[7] Friedrich A. Hayek, 2009 (Originally published in 1948), Individualism and Economic Order, “Individualism: True and False,” 1945, (Auburn, AL: Ludwig von Mises Institute), p. 31. See footnotes 30, 31 and 32 on page 31 for the sources of Tocqueville and Acton.
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