HIST 103DCE News

Gap Sections,
Thanks for the last discussion, it was great and pretty much on target. Here is a summation of some of its bigger points: Aristocracies do better with legislation, that is a fact. They are faster to act as their are less "hands in the cookie jar" as one post stated. However, they do neglect the people a great deal. Democracies are slow to act, but they do involve the will of the people and have the interests of the majority at heart. As for who enforces the law, well thats the everyday person. We enforce the laws. A good example of this comes from one post about how Fargo's cohabitation law was silly and had just been repealed. It is a silly law, and I would ask how often was it enforced really? I am sure some places did, but do you really think the Fargo PD would rush right down and arrest anyone over it? Not really, it wasn't enforced because the people no longer cared about an antiquarian religious based law. I know plenty of unmarried folks renting apartments and houses in Fargo. Now, on the flip side of that, and to give this some broader perspective, there are similar laws in the "bible belt" in the South and they are enforced.

Anyway, start getting in assignments as there is much more to the course than quizzes, posts, and lecture assessments. Like I have written before, you can't pass the course without them. Also, remember that you cannot take more than two quizzes as make-ups without a valid, approved and documented excuse . . .

On to this week:

Chapter 15: “Future Prospects of the United States.” Tocqueville is a profound commentator on the nature of democratic societies; he also is frequently a prophet. Yes, I know, he misses on some of his calls, but prophecy is a high-risk profession, and as prophets go, he's got a pretty good slugging percentage. This chapter is a great example.

Why is it that the Anglo-Americans are to possess all of North America?

What will be the nature and characteristics of the Anglo-American civilization?

Comment on Tocqueville's prophecies about Anglo-American expansion and Anglo-American dominance of the continent in the light of—
the northward migration of Hispanic cultures.
the North American Free Trade Agreement.

What do the futures of the United States and Russia have in common? How do they differ? What is the cause or force behind their common destiny?

Thanks,ML

Thanks for the discussion last week, it was very involved and many of you seem to have very strong feelings over this topic.

To wrap up a bit: War is hard, regardless of era, on a democratic nation. Most tend to be quickly supported by the public (again regardless of era), and just as quickly condemned within a short span of months if it is not over quickly. Democratic nations also tend to drag other nations into conflicts with them due to similarities in culture or ideology that have resulted in treaties, alliances, and defense pacts. Last, it is very difficult for a democratic nation to even get a declaration of war. Look at the nature of WWI and WWII compared to that of "conflicts" or "police actions" like Korea and Vietnam.

There were many reference to the Warhawks still being around, which isn't really the case. The term is used now and then as a stereotype (like calling a strict person a Nazi, etc.), but is a term that is particular to the War of 1812 time frame. Some deviation and application of TQs ideas to contemporary times is OK, but lets try and keep within the confines of the "when" of his writing and within the pre 1877 mindset.

Last, you can post whatever opinion you want to the discussions, but they do need to be tactful and avoid poor/base language. No one in a formal academic setting needs to call any person or nation derogatory names. Think about who you could offend by your language.

Some reminders: We are officially over half way done now, so you do need to start in on assignments. The majority of people who fail the course do so because they don't hand in the five assignments, thinking that the discussion, assessments, and quizzes are enough points to pass. From doing the math on the grade table on the homepage, I assure you that they are not.

For this week:
Chapter 11: “Advantages of Democracy in the United States.” This chapter on the advantages of democracy seems particularly appropriate for study in relation to the time of President Andrew Jackson, the Era of the Common Man. Many Americans lionized Jackson, who epitomized the democratization of American public affairs. Others said he would be the ruin of the country. And about that time, Tocqueville arrived in the US.

In matters of government, what things do aristocracies do well? What things do democracies do well?

Consider the relation of the last full paragraph on p. 101 to the presidency of Andrew Jackson.
What are the two types of patriotism? And why are Americans, as Tocqueville sees them, so darned patriotic?

OK, here's a challenge to one of you Business majors. Can you take Tocqueville's comments on patriotism, particularly p. 104, and relate them to management theory?

This chapter shows Tocqueville at his rhetorical best. Check out his ode to liberty in the middle of p. 106; also his two paragraphs measuring and comparing aristocracy and democracy on pp. 110-111. And don't miss his use of humor! This guy can be really droll.

Tocqueville describes Americans' all-consuming interest in politics. Is that the way Americans are today?

Who enforces the law in a democracy?

Thanks, and Happy hunting,
ML

GAP Sections,
Thanks for the discussion last week, it was well done and thought provoking.

We are about half way done with the course now, so remember to start getting assignments in as soon as possible. Remember the guidelines for them do prohibit you from doing all the work at the last second.

For this weeks discussion:
Chapter 51: “Some Considerations on War in Democratic Communities.” In the War of 1812 the American democracy took up arms against Britain and British possessions in North America. This was not a glorious triumph for the US. It was at best a draw, and one reason for American difficulties in the war was dissent and division over whether and how it should be fought. Tocqueville gives us some considerations about democracies fighting wars.

If Tocqueville is right on p. 283, then how do we explain the success of the War Hawks in promoting war with Britain?

How does democracy change the practice of war, according to Tocqueville?

Dissent, and motivation, were important factors in the prosecution of the War of 1812. What does Tocqueville tell us about these factors?

Tocqueville is often credited as a great prophet, seeing important events far in the future. Sometimes, though, he misses badly. Can you see an example of that in this chapter?
Thanks,ML

Gap Sections,
Thanks for the discussion, I really don't have anything to add to it at this point.

For this weeks discussion:
Chapter 8: “Political Parties.” Tocqueville is writing in the time of President Andrew Jackson, a time when the two-party system had withered away, and for a while, the US had only one functioning party. On the other hand, he writes quite a bit about the Federalists and Republicans of an earlier era, when partisanship was rife. And many of his comments about political parties are timeless. It falls to us to consider whether they have general application.

America once had great political parties, Tocqueville says, but doesn't anymore. He is writing in the times of Andrew Jackson, which we will study later. The great parties he is writing about are the Federalists and the Republicans, the subject of this lecture. What made them great parties?

There is a fundamental question that divides one political party from another. It was so in the days of the Federalists and the Republicans, and is likely so in other times. What is this question? Does it apply to our political parties today?

How do the wealthy stand in relation to parties and politics in America?

Class lecture on this topic lays out some reasons for and advantages to political parties in America. Are these in agreement with Tocqueville?

Gap Sections,

Thanks to the many of you who posted over episode’s four and five. Some short summations:
Week 4 discussion: A form of primogeniture did occur in the south, although it was not as stringent as that in Europe. This led, to a time, for large landed estates (the plantations) that were held by specific, generaly very wealthy and powerful families. This is the closest that the United States ever came to having a landed elite in the same form as Europe. TQ certainly had a point when he wrote about how partible inheritance created an equality of condition amongst the colonies. As for the education part, I liked that someone brought Bill Gates and his buddies as not having gotten a college degree. Better were the posts that pointed out they are definitely a minority; almost a fluke if you will. Wealth can happen without education, but not very often. By far my favorite post was the one that asked, about primogeniture, what would happen if the eldest was an idiot? Well, that happened a lot. Fortunes and land squandered, etc.

Week 5 discussion: It was great that everyone keyed right in on how the Middle Class, who tend to like their possessions, would never allow a revolution to occur again. TQ was definitely on the money there! The middle class is largely complacent in their morals and ideals. They worked hard to get where they are at, and revolts tend to end up with a redistribution of wealth (including land, money, etc). Hence, like one post stated, there is no guarentee of a better future after a revolution. I do hate to break it to everyone, but the United States does indeed go through a “peaceful” revolution every four years with presidential elections.

Anyway, these were all very nicely done. The only thing that could be better is if everyone refrained from repetative answers. For example, no needs to read fifteen different definitions of primogeniture or partible inheritance. After we have some key concepts nailed down, we need to move that into a more stimulating discussion.

Some FYI: Quiz four went down early so it will be allowed to be taken as a make-up that does not count against the two freebies. It will be relinked during finals week. Also, don’t neglect the other assignments and lecture assessments. You can’t pass the course without them. Any assingments that you handed in within the last two weeks should be back to you by now. If you haven’t heard back, something has gone awry and you will need to resubmit them.

Ever onward, toward Episode Six:
Chapter 7: “Aspects of the Federal Constitution.” One popular historian of the Constitutional Convention has called that event the "Miracle at Philadelphia." Many Americans, then and now, believe in the doctrine of American exceptionalism, the idea that Americans have been chosen and blessed by God to accomplish a certain mission to the rest of the world. Tocqueville admires the American federal system, but he has a more clear-eyed view of it.

There are advantages to living in small nations, and advantages to living in large nations. What are these? And how does this relate to the American federal system?

Separation of powers, federal and state, is an important principle of the Constitution. What logic provides this separation? Which government entity should be responsible for what sort of powers?
Tocqueville thinks that American federalism is a wonderful thing for Americans. Would he advise bringing it home to France? (Another way of asking, Is it God or the Atlantic Ocean that has blessed America?)

Thanks,
ML