In your view, what are the three most important conerns on what the proper relationship between individual liberty and the maintenance of democracy should be?

Tocqueville is explicit about his concerns regarding individualism and materialism--two potential enemies of democracy. The former, although a result of democracy, is dangerous because without a sense of duty or responsibility for social institutions there is no way to avoid despotism. Materialism is also dangerous because it encourages a narrow-minded pursuit of material wealth--ignoring abstract ideals such as political freedom. These two things have to be avoided in order to preserve the third: namely, a functioning democracy.