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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. De Tocqueville states that the aristocracy in America is different from traditional aristocracies because the members of the class do not share what?

2. Isolation increases the dangers of what?

3. The development of industry has led to an increase in what?

4. In a traditional aristocracy, de Tocqueville believes that the aristocrat was linked to their underlings by what?

5. De Tocqueville believes that people must exercise their political freedom by what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is at least one difference between the family in a democratic society and in an aristocratic society?

2. What is the only great inequality that de Tocqueville sees in American society?

3. Why will democratic governments tend to centralize as they grow?

4. In de Tocqueville's beliefs, how does too much emphasis on equality lead to tyrannical power?

5. How do the citizens of America see their equality when it comes to work collectively, according to de Tocqueville's observations?

6. What normally causes a great social revolution?

7. What is the major difference between the classic aristocrat and the new aristocrat in America according to de Tocqueville?

8. What is one of the problems of equality of conditions?

9. According to de Tocqueville, what do citizens of the United States think would replace democracy if democracy failed in America?

10. What two concepts, though linked, should not be confounded?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the following ideas as de Tocqueville uses them in his explanation and exploration of democracy:

i. servitude and individuality

ii. despotism and tyranny

iii. oppression and freedom.

Essay Topic 2

Using examples from the book, what is the main role of an independent judiciary in a democracy? What is the main role of the judiciary in America? Are the two similar or different? Use the book to provide support for your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Using examples from the book, what are the differences between an aristocratic regime and a democratic regime in terms of governance? Which one does de Tocqueville think is more effective at governing and why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 598 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample