Our Selfish Imperative

"...each man is the best judge of his own interest and the best able to satisfy his private needs." (Tocqueville, 82)

Continuing from my last blog, if religion isn't the check of democracy, perhaps it is something a little more selfish. Democracy does depend on a common sense of morality so that the participants do not abuse their power to participate, but it is also highly regulated by self interest. Less than twenty pages earlier Tocqueville says "He obeys society not because he is inferior to those who direct it, nor because he is incapable of ruling himself, but because union with his fellows seems useful to him and he knows that that union is impossible without a regulating authority." (66) In order to got what they want out of a society people must take an active role in society and this also keeps democracy in check. So are we a pious nation or a selfish one? Perhaps both are necessary. It is our selfish imperative that encourages us (as American citizens) to participate, but moral guidelines which keep us from over-participating or preventing others to participate to the best of their ability.