Why the United States has More Ambitious Men

TLDRDemocratic equality can limit ambition, Americans focus on enriching themselves through commerce and industry, democratic men fear revolutions, democratic people naturally desire peace but democratic armies desire war, discipline in democratic armies is based on reason and becomes stricter in extreme danger, speculations on civil war in democratic societies.

Key insights

💼Democratic equality can limit ambition.

💰Americans focus on enriching themselves through commerce and industry.

🔁Democratic men fear revolutions.

☮️Democratic people naturally desire peace but democratic armies desire war.

🎖️Discipline in democratic armies is based on reason and becomes stricter in extreme danger.

Q&A

How does democratic equality limit ambition?

Democratic equality can limit ambition by imposing a ceiling on ambition and not allowing individuals to aspire to great heights.

What do Americans focus on instead of seeking public post?

Instead of seeking a public post to expand their influence and reputation, Americans focus on enriching themselves through commerce and industry.

Why do democratic men fear revolutions?

Democratic men fear revolutions because these upheavals pose a threat to property ownership.

What is the natural desire of democratic people and democratic armies?

Democratic people naturally desire peace, while democratic armies naturally desire war.

How does discipline in democratic armies differ from other armies?

Discipline in democratic armies is based on reason rather than instinct and becomes stricter as danger becomes more extreme.

Timestamped Summary

00:01[Music]

00:09Volume two part three chapter 19 of democracy in America is called why one finds so many ambitious men in the United States and so few great ambitions.

00:21Tocqueville undertakes a psychological analysis of ambition and democratic equality, noting that every revolution enlarges men's ambition, but democratic equality often imposes a ceiling on ambition.

00:37Contrasting Europeans who seek public posts, Americans are more interested in enriching themselves through commerce and industry.

00:52Tocqueville claims that democratic men fear revolutions because these upheavals pose a threat to property ownership.

01:05Democratic people naturally desire peace, but democratic armies naturally desire war.

01:14Discipline in democratic armies is based on reason and becomes stricter as danger becomes more extreme.

02:20Tocqueville offers intriguing speculations about civil war in democratic societies.