to be a common feature associated with communist societies; however, it relates directly to not only rebellion, but also soft tyranny. For example, when seigneurial rights, such as land taxes and byway tolls, began to seriously irritate the French peasantry in the mid-eighteenth century, violence in the form of rioting emerged as a consequence. In effect, the price of bread, which was a staple in the peasant diet, increased to the point where common peasants could not afford to purchase it on a daily basis. These conditions, which can lead to civil unrest, exemplifies a form of soft tyranny which can quietly disrupt and eventually unravel an entire socio-economic order. References External links In Search of Tocqueville's Democracy in America, information and resources about Alexis de Tocqueville. Democracy in America, hypertext with a gallery of related projects describing America ca. 1820–1840. Political philosophy Philosophy of law