Tocqueville's republicanism as a critique to despotism in democratic eras

The aim of this article is to investigate the republicanism present in Alexis de Tocqueville as a criticism to despotism in democratic eras. For so, we will follow the interpretative reading of contemporary authors such as Hannah Arendt, Charles Taylor and Jacques Ranciere, who highlight in their reflections Tocqueville's interpretation of the American Revolution, emphasizing the limits and the possibility of participatory politics as a criticism of an emerging despotism in democracy. Tocqueville observes a tendency, in democracy, for a growing modem individualism, along with the loss of community ties, which are essential for public life. He seems to be concerned with the indifference towards politics as society's participation in decisions, with the danger of a new, specifically modern, form of despotism. It will not be a tyranny of terror and oppression. The government may even hold regular elections. However, everything can be governed by an enormous tutelary power over which the people will have little or no control. This kind of sweet and calm regimented servitude can perfectly settle in democracies. Only with a culture of political participation, through community associations, at various levels of power, we shall as stated by Tocqueville, combat the growing despotism in democracy.