1. Do the people really "reign" in America as Tocqueville asserts? If so, are his warnings of the "tyranny of the majority" valid?
2. Does American history provide evidence that the majority can "tyrannize" over minorities? Can the rights of minorities be adequately safeguarded in a democracy? Does the American constitutional system meet this challenge?
3. Does majority rule best achieve "the will of the people," "the greatest good for the greatest number" or "liberty and justice for all"? Can the people be wrong?
4. What does Tocqueville mean by democracy (or social equality) and what does he find unappealing about it? Does democracy lead inevitably to the triumph of mediocrity?
5. Why was it important to Tocqueville that men of note and ability be selected as socety's leaders? If the selection of men of talent is not an advantage of democracy (or universal sufrage), what are its advantages? Are Tocqueville's warnings especially relevant to modern American society?