De La D�mocratie en Am�rique published in two volumes, the first in 1835 and the second in 1840) is a classic French text by Alexis de Tocqueville. Its title translates as On Democracy in America, but English translations are usually simply entitled Democracy in America. In the book, Tocqueville examines the democratic revolution that he believed had been occurring over the previous several hundred yearsHe begins his book by describing the change in social conditions taking place. He observed that over the previous ...
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De La D�mocratie en Am�rique published in two volumes, the first in 1835 and the second in 1840) is a classic French text by Alexis de Tocqueville. Its title translates as On Democracy in America, but English translations are usually simply entitled Democracy in America. In the book, Tocqueville examines the democratic revolution that he believed had been occurring over the previous several hundred yearsHe begins his book by describing the change in social conditions taking place. He observed that over the previous seven hundred years the social and economic conditions of men had become more equal. The aristocracy, Tocqueville believed, was gradually disappearing as the modern world experienced the beneficial effects of equality. Tocqueville traced the development of equality to a number of factors, such as granting all men permission to enter the clergy, widespread economic opportunity resulting from the growth of trade and commerce, the royal sale of titles of nobility as a monarchical fundraising tool, and the abolition of primogeniture.Tocqueville described this revolution as a "providential fact"[5] of an "irresistible revolution," leading some to criticize the determinism found in the book. However, based on Tocqueville's correspondences with friends and colleagues, Marvin Zetterbaum, Professor Emeritus at University of California Davis, concludes that the Frenchman never accepted democracy as determined or inevitable. He did, however, consider equality more just and therefore found himself among its partisans.
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This is a must-read for anyone who wishes to understand the mentality of liberty that exists in America. Tocqueville does an excellent job of illustrating the good and bad of "democracy in America." Essential for any amateur or professional political scientist.
Mfitz
Mar 7, 2008
Tocqueville: Still relevant, still worth your time
Tocqueville certainly has an interesting story to tell. A young man in his twenties when he wrote the first volume, he was a great intellectual of his time. It is interesting how a book 150 years old can still hold so many truths for the United States and the concept of fledgling democracies-- and still be such an enjoyable read! Don't be daunted by the page count, this enjoyable and informative text flies by, and you'll enjoy every minute of it.