Two questions

2. A society that is focused on equality weakens the individual because of how many people there are. If all people are included into the “competition” the privileged have a less likely chance of succeeding than they did while the poor have a better chance at succeeding than the originally did. This causes all of the people who were not privileged to strive for greater equality. On page 167, Tocqueville states, “when inequality is the general rule of society the greatest inequality goes unnoticed. When everything is more or less level, the slightest variation is noticed. Hence the more equal men are, the more insatiable there longing for equality will be”. This illustrates his opinion that people in a society based on equality will never be happy with the circumstances and always strive for greater equality. The people work for greater equality to try to improve their individual chances at success. In the end, however, a society based on equality will weaken the individual because as more people are included the less likely you or I will be successful.

5. Tocqueville thinks that Americans are restless because what they want to achieve is unattainable. One of the things that they want to achieve is equality. However, Tocqueville observes, “ That is a quality that which ever retreats before them without getting quite out of sight, and as it retreats it beckons them on to pursue, every instant they think they will catch it, and each time it slips through their fingers”. This conveys his view that Americans go after that which is unattainable, and are there fore restless in their attempt to get it. This is also what makes Americans sad even if they have everything that is attainable. “The hopes and desires of Americans are much more often disappointed” Tocqueville states. This is another example from the text in which people go for something unattainable and are disappointed in the end.