ABSTRACT
Whereas Hobbes’s ‘science of politics’ emancipates political philosophy from the public scene (his ‘science of politics’ has become the rule rather than the guide for political action), Tocqueville’s ‘new science of politics’ seeks to restore the intimate relationship between the political philosopher and the statesman. Tocqueville’s ‘new science of politics’ is one of division of roles: it is based on a tacit contract between the enlightened and the moral classes in a common cause that aims to improve the human lot, in the sense of guiding humanity towards the good life. The enlightened classes consist of people who offer a guide for political action; they are the philosophers. The moral classes consist of those who command; they are the statesmen. The philosopher teaches a nation to think, to feel, and to express its thoughts, while the statesman shapes the human destiny, bound by the inspiration and duty to act in such a manner so as to promote the perfection of all. Hence, the most rational government consists of philosophers and statesmen. For Tocqueville, philosophy is not detached from the political sphere and the sphere of action is not independent of philosophy: thought and action belong to each other.34 While philosophy is meant to instruct, statesmanship is meant to implement philosophical precepts: ‘Philosophers must always originate laws, but people used to active practical life ought to undertake to direct the transition from old to the new arrangements.’35 Whereas Burke, a statesman and a philosopher himself, believes that statesmanship and philosophy are simply noble activities among several noble activities in society, and while J.S. Mill, who is a philosopher and reformist, holds that politics and philosophy are among the many ingredients of self-development, Tocqueville argues that statesmanship and philosophy are the highest activities in society. Statesmanship is governance in the light of the moral ideals as reason shows, and not only in conformity to moral rules. For him, the best government is the one in which the statesman knows best how to use the philosopher’s power of judgement of political things and events.36 Those who always labour can have no true judgement – they do not have the leisure to patiently observe from outside society, while those who instruct from outside society are too distant to maintain social bonds and facilitate accommodation to social problems.
