14

Tocqueville has been described as nostalgic of former times and aristocracy. According to this view, his criticisms of democracy show his preference for aristocratic societies. Here I try to show that it is not nostalgia, but his acute perception of the advantages and shortcomings of democracy that underlies Tocqueville’s reasoning. His analysis of pauperism illustrates the realism that characterizes his writings and that prevents him not only from being a nostalgic but also from being blinded by the advances of history. This text explores the sources of conflict between the rich and the poor which Tocqueville presents in order to show the risk in the increase in the number of poor workers and the possible emergence of a new aristocracy separated from the political community.Classification du JEL : B19, B31, I39