While Tocqueville was wary of the inequalities in aristocracies because they limited freedom; he was also worried too much equality in democracies could become problematic as people would come to embrace being like others as opposed to excelling above and beyond others. With this in mind, explain what Tocqueville would likely say about the relatively recent and ongoing efforts in the United States to undo inequalities along the lines of race, gender, and sexual identity.
What will be an ideal response?
• As a product of a patriarchal, colonizing society, Tocqueville himself was not in favor of opening up opportunities for marginalized people
• A more liberal interpretation of Tocqueville could argue that because he was against aristocracy where status/power is assigned by birth, inequalities linked to ascribed statuses (race, gender, and maybe sexual identity) would have no place in a progressive democracy
• A problematic interpretation of Tocqueville might argue that because democracy needs inequality, efforts to undo certain inequalities might more generally work against the health and prosperity of a society
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