How has American “equality” changed since Alexis de Tocqueville’s time?

When Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America was published, in 1835, it would be difficult to argue that the United States this learned Frenchman toured and studied at length had achieved the full measure of equality that contemporary students understandably expect of their governing institutions and culture. De Tocqueville’s observations of America occurred within the context of a world the history of which had little experience with democratic forms of government, and none that were born of democratic principles. Even the French Revolution, the nation of de Tocqueville’s heritage and citizenship, with its rallying cry and principle of “liberty, equality, fraternity,” would fail to achieve those standards for almost 200 years. Yet, here, in North America, was a living embodiment of democratic principles that provided the foundation for the creation of a new nation. This was very different, and de Tocqueville was dutifully impressed with America’s commitment to liberty and equality. As noted, however, “liberty and equality” were concepts manifested in accordance with the context of the time. When de Tocqueville visited America, the issue of slavery was still unresolved—the Emancipation Proclamation would not be signed until 1863—and women would not achieve some measure of equality until ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. As such, concepts of equality could be said to have evolved considerably since de Tocqueville’s travels to America.

If the America of the early-19th century lagged in its application of the concept of equality, it could be fairly said to possess within itself the instruments of its own social, cultural and economic advancement, and, in this, our visitor from France was more than a little prescient. In his two-volume Democracy in America, de Tocqueville observed that “[t]he great privilege of the Americans does not simply consist in their being more enlightened than other nations, but in their being able to repair the faults they may commit.” Americans, as de Tocqueville pointed out, do not suffer from a shortage of national self-flagellation. Americans are quite possibly among the most introspective people on the planet, and struggles for varying concepts of “equality” have never, and apparently will never cease. Americans have evolved from discussions of equality based upon color of skin to discussions of equality based upon one’s concept of one’s sexuality. This is not to say that the United States has solved all of its racial, ethnic, cultural and religious conflicts; it has not, and probably will never be so successful. It is to the United States’ merit, however, that its population remains in a perpetual state of debate regarding concepts of equality.