How the Americans Understand the Equality of the Sexes

According to the beliefs of Alexis de Tocqueville, American and European attitudes toward women are completely different. In the beginning, Tocqueville believes that Americans apply the principle of political economy and democratic equality to the sexes. Further in the reading, he states that, “They hold that ever association must have a head in order to accomplish its object, and that the natural head of the conjugal association is the man.” Tocqueville means that American women are essentially inferior to men, and they cannot do anything about their position beneath men because it was accepted this way. In the opening paragraph Tocqueville stated his thesis saying, “I believe the social changes which bring nearer to the same level the father and son, master and servant, and, in general, superiors and inferiors, will raise woman, and make her more and more the equal of man.” This was an accurate prediction of the future for women, especially because during the time that Tocqueville visited the United States, woman were much inferior to men. Women did not have the right to vote, hold property, and hold jobs outside the home. It was assumed that the women’s position in life was childrearing and educating the next generation. Over the years, woman have, as Tocqueville predicted, risen up and have gained more of a prominent position in society. As we can see today with the full equality of men and women.

Tocqueville also mentions the difference between the treatment of women in Europe compared to the United States. He believes that women in Europe are considered more equal and that they would, “give to the same functions, impose on both the same duties, and grant to both the same rights.” This means that since Europe puts a high value on equality both sexes are essentially degraded and the worse that can come of the degrading is “disorderly women and weak men.”