Torqueville's and Stowe's perception of race-relations furing Pre-civil War Era - Essay Example

So from the sociological theorist’s perspective, he has to carefully deplore the practice of slavery after a thorough examination of its role in the country’s economy, culture and politics. Therefore, Tocqueville’s stance about slavery seems to be often confusing and critical, though his statements i.e. “I am moved at the spectacle of man's degradation by man, and I hope to see the day when the law will grant equal civil liberty to all the inhabitants of the same empire…” (Tocqueville 45), “An old and sincere friend of America, I am uneasy at seeing Slavery retard her progress…” (Tocqueville 56) seem to be an anti-racist’s proclamation against the racism and the evil of slavery in American society.

A deep sociopolitical and cultural assessment of the African-American minority in the racially segregated white society has convinced him to believe that the assimilation of the Negroes into the mainstream of the society, as opposed to the American Indians, was almost impossible. Indeed Tocqueville’s prediction of the African Americans future has been summarized in the following lines: If I were called upon to predict the future, I should say that the abolition of slavery in the South will in the common course of things, increase the repugnance of the white population for the blacks.

I base this opinion upon the analogous observation I have already made in the North. I have remarked that the white inhabitants of the North avoid the Negroes with increasing care in proportion as the legal barriers of separation are removed by the legislature; and why should not the same result take place in the South? (Tocqueville 68) At this point, Stowe vehemently opposes Tocqueville’s belief. For her, since Christianity, being the religion of the majority of American society, is very much incompatible with the perpetuating inhumanity of slavery, it could lapse the divide between the races and bring them on the same platform of humanity.

But Stowe has failed to address how a community, which has been detached from the age-old traditions and culture, would assimilate into a culture which has been an oppressive reality so far. Possibly her faith in Christianity’s as well as humanity’s ability to dispense the socio-cultural gap between the communities provokes her to depict Uncle Tom as a devout Christian and a man, driven by humanity, who could risk his life for the sake of a white girl Eva. Further Stowe’s faith in Christianity’s ability to repel the evil of slavery is expressed in Mrs.

Bird’s speech: “I don’t know anything about politics, but I can read my Bible; and there I see that I must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the desolate; and that Bible I mean to follow.” (Stowe 78) Though Stowe’s prediction of a race-blind society upon the basis of Christian humanity seems to be a fallacy, it was a powerhouse of moral strength for the abolitionist to wither the brutal tyranny from the white people’s part and to free the black people to take any course of assimilation they might choose.

Obviously, the Civil War, the Reconstruction and the