Tocqueville and Guizot’s controversy about aristocracy in America

Authors

  • Lucien Jaume CEVIPOF/CNRS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17811/hc.v0i15.398

Keywords:

popular sovereignty, authority, aristocracy, elitism, judicial review, balance of powers, check and balances, mixed government

Abstract

There is a kind of dialogue that has not been studied between Tocqueville and Guizot concerning the notion of aristocracy, not only in France but also in America. According to Guizot the United States are not a democratic Republic because « gentlemen » are in function at various levels, whereas Tocqueville sees lawyers as the unique aristocratic element. In fact, the controversy has existed before and after the American revolution, due to John Adams, the future president of America. This controversy is indicative of the French manner of considering the state and social elites.

Fecha de envío / Submission Date: 17/03/2014
Fecha de aceptación / Acceptance Date: 23/05/2014

Author Biography

Lucien Jaume, CEVIPOF/CNRS

Agrégé de philosophie, docteur d’Etat en science politique, directeur de recherche au CNRS, es miembro del Centro de Estudios Politicos (CEVIPOF) de Sciences Po. Ha publicado sobre Hobbes, sobre la Revolucion francesa (Le Discours jacobin et la démocratie, 1989) y el liberalismo (La Liberté et la loi, 2000, Tocqueville : les sources aristocratiques de la liberté, 1998). A parecer a corto plazo : Le Religieux et le politique dans la Révolution française. L’idée de régénération, PUF.

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Published

2014-07-25

Issue

No. 15 (2014): Historia Constitucional N. 15 (2014)

Section

France

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