Because despots have every interest in keeping people isolated, the individualism resulting from equality makes despotism a great danger to democracy. Exercising freedom through participation in public affairs is therefore extremely important, because it gives people a personal interest in thinking about others in society. Local self-government forces the people to act together and feel their dependence on one another. Since citizens in democratic societies are independent and weak, they need to form associations in order to have some influence. It is extremely salutary to democratic life that citizens need to form numerous associations, because it combats individualism and circulates new thoughts and ideas.
Associations take the place of powerful individuals whom equality of conditions have eliminated.
In addition, the less centralized the governmental administration is, the more newspapers there will be, and vice versa. The reason is that local administrators need to be informed about the state of public affairs. Relationships Between Civil and Political Assocations Political and civil associations are strongly related in that civil associations prepare the way for political ones, while politics engenders a taste for association and teaches the art of association. While the unlimited right of political association can be very dangerous, as stated in Volume One, associations also are highly beneficial and limiting them though it may be necessary will cause harm to society. While the doctrine of self-interest properly understood does not lead to great virtue, it does establish virtuous habits.