De Tocqueville and Marx on Government - Essay Example

De Tocqueville and Marx on Government Alexis de Tocqueville and Karl Marx are extremely influential political thinkers whose views have been pertinent in shaping the modern world. These individuals lived in the nineteenth century which was a period that saw many changes in the European political scene. This was a phase where democracy was beginning to take root on the continent amidst political mayhem seen in the aftermath of the French Revolution. It is these events which shaped the thinking of both Marx and de Tocqueville in matters concerning government and its role in society. De Tocqueville is of the opinion that the importance of government is based on its responsibility in protecting the rights and freedoms of its citizens. He believes that government should not just be a guarantor of freedoms, but it should also be a means through which individuals in society gains some form of representation, which ensures that their opinions concerning how the state should be run are voiced. As a guarantor of freedoms, it is the responsibility of government to make sure that the state is secure enough as a means of safeguarding these freedoms and it should provide checks and balances which make possible an environment where the government does not slip into tyranny. However, there are often instances where societies develop a tendency to create an environment that encourages too much freedom within it that when they are faced with serious problems, it is difficult for such societies to tackle them. Therefore, a situation is created where in order to defend the interests of the nation, it is essential for individuals within it to work together; a circumstance which is not reasonable because human beings are creatures that are too independent to effectively defend the interests of their communities. A government has to act as a moderator for freedoms because too many freedoms make it difficult for states to function and might eventually lead to its collapse. By taking away some of the more extreme manifestations of equality from society, the government is able to maintain order and make possible the creation of a just society where personal and societal interests are balanced. Karl Marx, on the other hand, believes that the current manifestation of government is one which is not based on equality, but a means of ensuring that the affluent in society retain power. Government is a tool that is used by those who control the means of production, namely the affluent or bourgeoisie, to retain power so that they can also be able to more effectively protect their economic interests. It creates a favorable environment within which to conduct business in a manner that benefits the affluent and keeps the rest of society poor so that they can continue to serve the interests of the elite. As a result, government does not guarantee any freedoms to society in general but is a means through which to keep it under control in case there are any forms of rebellion that might be a threat to its affluent members. The current form of government is mostly influenced by economic interests rather than as a means of securing the rights and freedoms of members of society and this is a fundamental aspect of a state that is created by one class in society to retain its dominance over the other. In contrast to de Tocqueville’s argument that government makes it possible for individuals in society to voice their opinions concerning how society can be governed, it is instead a means through which the voice of few individuals, namely the economic elite, is heard and their interests secured because without control over the states, it is more likely than not that they might lose their influence over economic matters. According to de Tocqueville, among the changes which are needed in government is ensuring that individuals are given more freedom to express themselves especially in matters concerning how they are ruled. However, despite having this freedom, there should be a balance so that the government does not end up being overruled by the people it is supposed to govern. Government should be a guarantor of peace and order in society and should not allow destructive elements, namely either individuals who seek to disrupt normal life, or those who are driven by ambition to overthrow state authority to succeed. The state should resort to any means necessary, including repression and censorship, to ensure that agents of chaos do not get an opportunity to increase their influence over society. Despite this being the case, it is government responsibility to accept the will of a majority of society especially in situations where they are opposed to its policies. Government, as a representative of the interests of society, has to bow down to its wishes and must not undertake implementation of policies unilaterally because such actions have a potential of fomenting rebellion which might end up creating chaos in society rather than order. There are instances where voices of dissention in society rise as a result of unilateral actions by government and these actions might create a situation where individuals in society come to believe that their government does not actually represent them but has turned into a tyranny. Therefore, government should create a middle ground or balance between what it has to do in the interest of society as well as the opinions of those it governs because to do otherwise might not be beneficial to society as a whole. In contrast to de Tocqueville, Marx is of the opinion that more authority should be handed over to individuals in society because it ensures that there is more equality. Furthermore, as a result of class struggles that are continuously plaguing society, it is inevitable that there will be an uprising by the lower classes, which form a majority, against the elite, which controls almost all matters related to the economy. Therefore, in order to prevent the chaos that might result from such an uprising, it is essential for government to institute initiatives to ensure that wealth in society is saved in a more or less equal manner. Government should be in the hands of those in society who form a majority rather than those who come from an elite background because the latter do not have the interests of the majority at heart. Comprehensive social welfare programs have to be put in place to ensure that the nation’s wealth is shared out among all members of society in a manner that is fair. Because it is the responsibility of government to protect the interests of the majority, who essentially work to enrich the elite, it is necessary for it to impose higher taxes on those economic entities which make a lot of money as a result of labor provided by the majority. These taxes should be used in the interests of the majority through implementing programs designed to ensure that the quality of their lives is improved to such an extent that there is likely to be more equality within the society. The increasing gap between the wealthy and the poor in society has to be tackled effectively because without creating a balance based on making sure that these two groups are equally satisfied, there might develop a scenario where it is difficult to control or prevent a clash between them. While both de Tocqueville and Marx have potent arguments, one would suggest that the former’s argument is stronger because he calls for equality for all individuals in society, but that this equality should be achieved in an orderly manner. This stance is essential in the modern world where plenty of rights movements are on the rise and these have created a situation where there is a possibility of the rights of some individuals being given more propriety over those of others. De Tocqueville considers all aspects of equality and concludes that despite its importance in society, it is still a force that has to be controlled. This is a responsibility which he puts on the state, which has the power and obligation to create a balance so that those freedoms which are considered to be a threat to societal order are taken away from individuals while at the same time ensuring that their other freedoms are guaranteed. This is in contrast to Marx, who believes in the complete autonomy of the individual and this is to such an extent that none of his freedoms should be violated. Therefore, de Tocqueville’s argument that there should be a balance in guaranteeing freedoms has merit because it allows for a method that can be used as a means of preventing the tyranny of equality. In conclusion, it is essential to note that the arguments made by both de Tocqueville and Marx, while being different, also share some similarities. These similarities are based on the belief of these men in equality within society as well as their stances against what can be termed as tyranny. De Tocqueville’s argument is more potent because he calls for equality in moderation and unlike Marx, is a believer in there being economic freedom rather than its being under the absolute control of the state. Read More