culture Political and the essence of democracy in the United States is exemplified by the individuals right to association. The nineteenth century French scholar Alexis de Tocqueville studied early American society proving this point in his work, Political Association in the United States from Democracy in America. This innovative piece of work stresses the importance of the American right of political association and its ability to provide an important check on the tyranny of the majority. However since then the political climate has changed and so has the social capital, referring to the involvement in social and political groups. Political scientists such as Robert Putnam and Theda Skocpol have published works based off the studies of Tocqueville. They both explore why the social capital has changed greatly in the past century and if it continues will the cornerstone of American democracy start to crumble. Tocqueville explains that from birth humans realize the power of association, whether it is for enjoyment, authority, or to work out moral issues (Tocqueville 2008, 463). He writes, There is no end which the human will despairs of attaining by the free action of the collective power of individuals (Tocqueville 2008, 463). It is this right of association that Tocqueville believes provides a cornerstone for American democracy, claiming no other government uses this action better. Tocquevilles reasoning behind this statement is be demonstrating the uncanny ability the right to political association has to suppress the fear of the majority. Tocqueville realizes the great freedom American citizens have to recognize the power of association, but also the ability to use it in many different ways (Tocqueville 2008, 463). Tocqueville almost takes influences from the infamous Federalist #10, which greatly encouraged factions to diminish the threat of the majority. Tocqueville explains, In America the citizens who form the minority associate in the first place to show their numbers and to lessen the moral authority of the majority, and secondly, by stimulating competition, to discover the arguments most likely to 1
make an impression on the majority for they always hope to draw the majority over to their side and then to exercise power in its name (Tocqueville 2008, 464). Tocqueville demonstrates how the use of associations and minorities can very simply balance the power of a majority. This is what has allowed America to form a civil government, societies in which all members are striving towards the same goal however have the independence to not follow the same path (Tocqueville 2008, 464). Political scientist Robert Putnam explores Tocquevilles theory of a civil society, questioning whether the United States citizens have retained their right to association. He inquires about the nature of civil engagement and what has caused the sharp decreases in social capital over the last fifty years. Putnam makes the point that in communities where social capital is high and citizens are fully using their right to associate and engage provide positive social outcomes (Putnam 2008, 126). Putnam explains, For a variety of reasons, life is easier in a community blessed with a substantial stock of social capital. In the first place, networks of civic engagement foster sturdy norms of generalized reciprocity and encourage the emergence of social trust. Such networks facilitate coordination and communication, amplify reputations, and thus allow dilemmas collective of action to be resolved (Putnam 2008, 126). However Putnam elaborates on the studies and statistics of the past century that confirm a great drop off in the participation of social engagement. He gives a few reasons as to why this sharp decrease might have happened, for example women in the work force, demographic changes, and the advancement of technology into the lives of almost all Americans. These factors have begun to privatize the use of leisure time, restricting the opportunities a citizen has for social-capital formation (Putnam 2008, 134). Putnam recognizes the significance of a civil society, and
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believes that it is vital to somehow combat the adverse trends of democritization restoring civic engagement and trust (Putnam 2008, 135). Similar to Putnam, political scientist Theda Skocpol also investigates the sharp decline in social capital in America. However Skocpol unlike Putnam does not stress the decline of civic engagement but rather the causes for this regression. Making a point not to refer to the quantity of participation in groups, but rather the quality (Skocpol 2008, 476). Skocpol speaks about the decompartmentalization of society. How during times like the 1950s there were clear cut gender and racial boundries that allowed for very specific memberships to certain associations. However as there was social progression and the expansion of suffering, these lines were slowly blurred allowing for the drop-off in membership (Skocpol 2008, 481). Another strong point Skocpol makes is the draw of Washington D.C. In simple terms Skocpol is claiming that activists, those who jump-start associations and make civil-engagement in commnities have begun going directly to Washington to get their opinions heard. She writes, Activists, in short, have gone where the action is (Skocpol 2008, 482). Like Putnam and Tocqueville Skocpol stresses the importance of a civil society and its importance to American democracy. However unlike Putnam, Skocpol believes that there is no going back the the associational life America once knew but we must look to the foward to find a renewed form of a civic democratic future (Skocpol 2008, 487). Through the work of Tocqueville one can witness the importance of the right to poilitical and social association. Despite this it can be noted that there has been an extrodinary decline in civic-engagement threatening this very cornerstone of American democracy. Political scientists such as Putnam and Skocpol have both provided extensive research on the importance of a civil government, and the rationales behind the association drop-off providing convincing innovative 3
arguments. Although America might not be able to return the the social capital level it once reatined, it must look towards a modern way to find the benefits of civic engagement once more.
Works Cited
Putnam, Robert D. "Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital." In American Politics Classic and Contemporary Readings, by Burdett A. Loomis Allan J. Cigler, 125-135. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008.
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Skocpol, Theda. "Associations Without Members." In The Enduring Debate Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, 476-487. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008. Tocqueville, Alexis de. "Political Association in the United States." In The Enduring Debate Classic and Contemporary Readings in American Politics, 463-465. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2008.
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