Liberty Adam Smith and Alexis de Tocqueville Essay

Both Adam Smith and Alexis de Tocqueville agree that an individual is the most qualified to make decisions affecting the sphere of the individual as long as those decisions do not violate the law of justice. From this starting point, each theorist proposes a role of government and comments on human nature and civil society. Smith focuses on economic liberty and the ways in which government can repress this liberty, to the detriment of society. De Tocqueville emphasizes political liberty and the way that government can be organized to promote political liberty, protect individual liberty, and promote civil liberty. Adam Smiths theory makes a strong argument for the assertion that a free market will provide overall good for†¦show more content†¦By process of elimination, Smith settles on the capitalists as the most fit to rule, but stipulates, the proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and out never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention (227). Due to the lack of a class which would be able to lead with societys interests in mind and because the unfettered free market in which everyone is selfishly motivated produces the most, Smith relegates to government only the three tasks of the defense of the nation, the administration of justice, and the maintenance of certain public works (289). This plan will prevent too many unnecessary restrictions on perfect liberty, or complete freedom from restraints, and will allow a system of natural liberty to establish itself in which every man, as long as he does not violate the laws of justice, is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest his own way. This role of government also solves the impassable lack of information problem that, according to Smith, is faced by any government which takes the responsibility for superintending theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Alexis De Tocqueville s Life1558 Words   |  7 Pages2014; Alexis De Tocqueville was casually heading down to the local election hall in Toronto for the municipal elections occurring that night. As he stepped in and stood in line for his turn, he noticed two individuals ahead of him. At closer inspection, he was in awe to realize these two gentlemen happened to be Adam Smith and Karl Marx, two great philosophers he had always wanted to meet and converse with. Smith and Marx, realizing their admirer staring, immediately recogn ized Tocqueville as wellRead MoreHow Liberism has Evolved During the 20th Century980 Words   |  4 PagesINTRODUCTION Since the 17th century, liberalism has been one of the sources of political progress in the West. Liberalism is a philosophy based on ideas of liberty and quality. Liberalism is hard to define due to the term being used to describe ideas, parties, movements and practices in different societies and different historical periods. The core values of liberalism are individualism, rationalism, freedom, justice and toleration . Liberalism is one of the most powerful ideologies shaping WesternRead MoreDid Slavery Cause Racism?3614 Words   |  15 Pagesof blacks preceded slavery and helped to justify it. At the same time, slavery deepened racism. The two seem to have existed in tandem. During the eighteenth century some thinkers, notably Julien Offroy de La Mettrie, Baron de Montesquieu, Abbà © Guillaume-Thomas-Franà §ois de Raynal, and Adam Smith implicitly offered some hope for Africans by suggesting that environment rather than genetics determined the human personality. Scholars such as these suggested that one could remove the blacks from AfricaRead MoreAmerican Spirit Volume I3787 Words   |  16 Pages1769 1 A. The Native Americans 1 1. Visualizing the New World (1505, 1509) 1 2. Juan Gines de Sepulveda Belittles the Indians (1547) 3 3. Bartoleme de Las Casas Defends the Indians (1552) 4 B. The Spanish in America 6 1. Hernan Cortes Conquers Mexico (1519-1526) 6 2. Aztec Chroniclers Describe the Spanish Conquest of Mexico (1519) 3- Francisco Coronado Explores the American Southwest (1541) 13 4. Don Juan de Onate Conquers New Mexico (1599) 14 C. The African Slave Trade 17 1. Mungo Park DescribesRead MoreLiberal Perspective of a State7979 Words   |  32 Pagesis the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights and so, the main theme of liberalism throughout the period of its development was that the purpose of state is the promotion and protection of human freedom and equality and ensuring of human happiness. Liberalism meant the removal of traditional distinctions that were imposed on people. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of the principles of liberty and equal rights, but most liberals