Tocqueville- True Women and Real Men

Tocqueville compares the social condition of American women to that of European women. He thinks that democracy, which is a fundamental part of the American society, creates a natural division between the sexes, yet, at the same time it allows for social changes that will lead women to be seen as more equal to men, just as social changes are bringing “nearer to the same level the father and the son, and the master and the servant.” It might take awhile for American women to be more equal to men, but underlying Tocqueville’s observations is the idea that although American men and women value each other’s contribution to society equally, the man will probably still be superior and the leader.

Tocqueville admires the way American society does not try to make the sexes “not only equal, but alike” as people in Europe do, but instead creates a society where the sexes have a set division of labor with separate roles. According to Tocqueville, Americans divide the duties of the man from the women because they believe the society would work better that way. Tocqueville thinks that America is unique because it takes much care in distinctly dividing the actions of the two different sexes. The sexes have to keep pace with one another, but in “two different pathways which are always different”. For example, the women could not be politically active, leaders of a business, outwardly manage the family affairs, or perform anything that required hard labor or exertion of physical strength. However, even though American men do not want the women to do hard work or take much action, Tocqueville states that the women are respected by the men and that the men never doubt their courage. Although the women retain their feminine manners, they “sometimes show that they have hearts and minds of men”. The women appear to like having the man as head of the household as it makes them proud. Tocqueville concludes that American men and women know they perform different duties yet they value what each brings to society and they consider both sexes “as beings of equal value”. Although women are still seen as socially inferior, the American democracy has allowed women to raise their moral and intellect level to that of men.

On the other hand, Tocqueville believes that in Europe, women and men are not only equal but are seen as “alike”. They have the same duties, jobs, and rights. Although supposedly equal, the women are not fully respected and esteemed as American women are, and even though the European women have equal opportunities, they are not seen as equals. The men flatter the women and the women in turn have seductive tendencies or act “futile, feeble, and timid”. They are not as virtuous as American women and Europe does not place as much emphasis on a woman’s honor. Tocqueville concludes that American women are superior to those in Europe.


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