Before Alexis de Tocqueville wrote the book “Democracy in America,” the problem of “tyranny of the majority” had hit the American society in such a way that the majority enjoyed the sovereignty of the minority. It was until after the French revolution that most scholars such as John Stuart Mill and Tocqueville opted to devise mechanisms through which they would adopt in reducing and preventing the sustainability of the vice. This is because the minority groups from various religion and races had become slaves in such a way that they could not influence any problem solving or decision-making process in their own land. With regard to the utilitarian theory, developed by Mill, it was true that any policy or decision taken by someone or a group of people should seek to benefit all people and not harm others in any way.
The Hellenistic and classical Greeks used the phrase “tyranny of the majority” to mean oppression of the majority to the minority through a democratic process. Ideally, the minority group, who are not represented usually end up adopting the policies or ideas presented to them by the majority even if the majority are not constitutionally or realistically right. According to the public choice theory, the tenets states that, a proposition by the majority should be adopted because it favors many and I should be perceived that it will benefit more people and harm a few. As a way of countering this problem, John Stuart Mill and Alexis de Tocqueville sought to support institutions that would neutralize the power of the “tyranny of the majority” to protect the minority who were always oppressed. The rationale behind formulating of the institutions that avoid upholding the morality of the majority and prevent the minority from suffering the consequences associated with the “tyranny of the majority.” In his work, Alexis de Tocqueville asserts that the only way to exercise power justly and rightly is to avoid a situation where those who have authority over the power could use it to tyrannize or molest the minority. Essentially, both and Mill were for the opinion that empowering the minority people through education and knowledge gaining techniques was the only way this group would avoid succumbing to the effects of the tyranny of numbers.
Apart from that, the author eludes having a central administration, would reduce such form of power and aggression that seeks to benefit the majority. In this case, America has a centralized administration, but in some incidences, agents take the lead of controlling a few issues, which the government has, little control. Such a situation creates an environment or society that lacks democracy; one where the majority makes all decisions. Furthermore, Alexis de Tocqueville observes that legal practitioners do obstruct all efforts geared towards the realization of a democratic society. The rationale behind it is that, the group possesses a vast knowledge, not challengeable by the government or any institution. Additionally, legal practitioners control the process of formulating and interpreting laws; for this reason, they would do the way the feel because they enjoy all the technical and professional expertise to influence decisions affecting their legal profession. Despite Tocqueville’s efforts, the American society and other societies in developed nation still fight with the problem because the rule of democracy still prevails.
Works cited
Tocqueville, Alexis de. Democracy in America. Trans. George Lawrence, New York: Harper Perennial 1988
