Analysis of Liberty in Society-

A detailed Summary of Analysis of Liberty in Society-

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,

Adam Smith's theory makes a strong argument for the assertion

that a free market will provide overall good for society, but, as de

Tocqueville points out, it provides little or no protection for the

poor. Smith's picture of human nature given in The Theory of Moral

Sentiments suggests that people would do good and take care of the

weak because of characteristics of their nature. Unfortunately, this

image contrasts with the picture of the individual which emerges from

his economic argument in Wealth of Nations and is a generally

freedom from arbitrary control is built into the system. Also, for the

relegates to government only the three tasks of the defense of the

United States the framers of government had "a higher and more

society in mind. The laborers are incapable of comprehending "that the

government which takes the responsibility for superintending the

yoke, and lose their true liberty, by their murmuring at the honour

protection. It is the people with less money who can least afford

foundation of all other property. From this it follows that the

but incapable of that application of mind which is necessary in order

scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention" (227).

in the larger workings of the factory. In this way, the two classes

"Every individual . . . can, in his local situation judge much better

institutions in American society which will balance the tendency of

Approximate Word count = 2627
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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