Product Description
Democracy in America - Volume 1 is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Alexis de Tocqueville is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Alexis de Tocqueville then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Kindle edition has no links
The Kindle edition has NO hyperlinks in the document.It gets better.

When you search on the word "chapter," none of the chapter beginnings are found, supposedly because the chapter heading is an IMAGE, not text.

I'll try other editions, and if needed, a download from Mobi, and report back on whether I can find a version of this book that can be used with a linked Table of Contents.

Astute observer of America
Alexis De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks."Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into two or three countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater then most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization, and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.
... Read more

Product Description
Democracy in America - Volume 2 is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Alexis de Tocqueville is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Alexis de Tocqueville then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Kindle edition has no links
The Kindle edition has NO hyperlinks in the document.It gets better.

When you search on the word "chapter," none of the chapter beginnings are found, supposedly because the chapter heading is an IMAGE, not text.

I'll try other editions, and if needed, a download from Mobi, and report back on whether I can find a version of this book that can be used with a linked Table of Contents.

Astute observer of America
Alexis De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks."Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into two or three countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater then most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization, and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.
... Read more

Product Description
In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and ambitious civil servant, made a nine-month journey throughout America. The result was Democracy in America, a monumental study of the life and institutions of the evolving nation. Tocqueville looked to the flourishing democratic system in America as a possible model for post-revolutionary France, believing that the egalitarian ideals it enshrined reflected the spirit of the age and even divine will. His insightful work has become one of the most influential political texts ever written on America and an indispensable authority on democracy.

This new edition is the only one that contains all Tocqueville's writings on America, including the rarely-translated Two Weeks in the Wilderness, an account of Tocqueville's travels in Michigan among the Iroquois, and Excursion to Lake Oneida. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Reminding us of the ideals
Did you have to read this book for Political Science 101? I did, and I still have my copy of it. In this election year, it would be worth taking a look at this book again. It seems to me that, particularly in the past eight years, we have strayed off the path of the ideals that this book represents. Anyone interested in democracy, equality, and the role of the military in government should own a copy of this book. Make sure it is the unabridged one.

de Tocqueville made a mark on history for a reason....
To get to the point: I made a mistake in buying this edited/abridged version of de Tocqueville's classic. I bought this edited version for speedy debate research, but I ultimately ended up buying the classic anyways because I found this to be too paraphrased to cite as the work of de Tocqueville in a debate round, and I (being a libertarian) cannot say I trust the interpretation of the editors, all from liberal universities. When I bought de Tocqueville's work, I expected to read de Tocqueville...I really don't want to have to worry about distinguishing between his observations (which made an undeniable mark on history with good reason) and some professor's socialized rhetoric. If you want to say, "I have read de Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America,'" don't buy this book. It's a cop out of the real thing and the real thing is worth an extra few weeks to read. Anyone with a basic understanding of political theory can grasp the classic. Others may have different needs/expectations, and thus, different opinions on this product, but it was a waste of time for me and would have been a waste of my money had the seller not graciously given me a full refund.

#10 A snapshot of capitalism in practice that is unknown today!
This book by the preeminent historian and sociologistsof his time, is a very good description of capitalism working in America during the time when it was in full swing when we were closest to actual laissez faire capitalism the mid 1800s.

Comment on the work and the translation
Until now I had only encountered de Tocqueville on the forensic examiner's table, so to speak - excerpts culled form the whole body and examined in isolation, inserted into op-ed pieces which were taken out of context to justify a political viewpoint while providing a semblance of historical authority.

Having read the entire first section, I am now able to discern the genius of de Toqueville at picking up on the features and contradictions in the American "model"; now I understand why he is so often quoted by libertarians, neo-cons and socialists - and everybody in between - to justify their point of view. But the whole work is much greater than the individual parts.

Bevan has achieved a discreet and very approachable translation.

Accurate US History pre-Revisionism era

Tocqueville was a Frenchman with a strong background in the teachings of the Secularist Enlightenment era of Western Europe. He was intent on determining what aspects of American culture played the greatest role in the successes and blessings of the American people. He initially thought such success could not be achieved any way other than the Secular Humanism he had come to know.

His conclusions were that a government established on the exact opposite principles of Conservative limited government based on Judeo-Christian ethics was what propelled the United States to greatness at such a rapid pace.

This work by Tocqueville is the most concise and exhaustive account of foundational US history every compiled from a not only un-biased perspective, but more astoundingly by an individual who actually had to overcome his own biases which were inherently at odds with that which was being proven before his eyes to bring about the culture, freedoms, and ideals which brought about the greatest Nation ever to exist on earth.
... Read more

Product Description
Designed for school districts, educators, and students seeking to maximize performance on standardized tests, Webster's paperbacks take advantage of the fact that classics are frequently assigned readings in English courses. By using a running thesaurus at the bottom of each page, this edition of American Institutions and Their Influence by Alexis de Tocqueville was edited for students who are actively building their vocabularies in anticipation of taking PSAT¿, SAT¿, AP¿ (Advanced Placement¿), GRE¿, LSAT¿, GMAT¿ or similar examinations.
PSAT¿ is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT¿ is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE¿, AP¿ and Advanced Placement¿ are registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT¿ is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT¿ is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved. ... Read more

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In 1831, the then twenty-seven year old Alexis de Tocqueville, was sent with Gustave de Beaumont to America by the French Government to study and make a report on the American prison system. Over a period of nine months the two traveled all over America making notes not only on the prison systems but on all aspects of American society and government. From these notes Tocqueville wrote "Democracy in America", an exhaustive analysis of the successes and failures of the American form of government, a republican representative democracy. Contained here are both of the unabridged volumes of that classic exposition as translated by Henry Reeve. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Astute Observer of America
Alexis De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks."Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into two or three countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater then most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization, and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Astute Observer of America
Alexis De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks."Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into two or three countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater then most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization, and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.
... Read more

Product Description
Tocqueville was not only an active participant in the French Revolution of 1848,he was also a deeply perceptive observer with a detached attitude of mind. Hesaw the pitfalls of the course his country was taking more clearly than any ofhis contemporaries, including Karl Marx. Recollections was fi rst written for selfclarification. It is both an exciting, candid, behind-the-scenes account of what actually happened during those tumultuous months and a remarkably shrewd analysis that has become an accurate forecast of future societies wrestling with the dilemma of synthesizing equality and freedom. Th us, the book has a relevance that extends beyond France, to our own country and others. Out of print in English for several years, Recollections is presented here in a translation based on the defi nitive French edition of 1964. It captures the wit and subtlety of mind that have made this book one of the most popular of all Tocqueville's works. Tocqueville's own comments,which he wrote into the manuscript, including his variants, are given, and the editors have added explanatory notes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tocqueville on revolution and the struggles of democracy
Tocqueville's recollections are more than a mere recounting of history ; they are an interpretation of revolution by one of the greatest thinkers of the nineteenth century. Tocqueville, in analyzing the events of the 1848 revolution in France, depicts vividly the causes of why a revolution which promised the fulfillment of 1789's "life liberty, and fraternity," led to the horror of massacre, and in doing so, investigates the very struggle inherent in the nature of the democratic struggle itself; the struggle between liberty and equality. Tocqueville's Recollections are an important read for any student of the democratic project. ... Read more

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Product Description
Alexis de Tocqueville, a young aristocratic French lawyer, came to the United States in 1831 to study its penitentiary systems. His nine-month visit and subsequent reading and reflection resulted in Democracy in America (1835–40), a landmark masterpiece of political observation and analysis. Tocqueville vividly describes the unprecedented social equality he found in America and explores its implications for European society in the emerging modern era. His book provides enduring insight into the political consequences of widespread property ownership, the potential dangers to liberty inherent in majority rule, the importance of civil institutions in an individualistic culture dominated by the pursuit of material self-interest, and the vital role of religion in American life, while prophetically probing the deep differences between the free and slave states. The clear, fluid, and vigorous translation by Arthur Goldhammer is the first to fully capture Tocqueville’s achievements both as an accomplished literary stylist and as a profound political thinker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

The Outstanding Translation of Tocqueville's Masterpiece
Tocqueville's classic study of America has become such a staple of the western canon that it is hard to believe it was written by a man in his late twenties and early thirties after only one visit of approximately nine months to the United States, from 1831-1832.The greatest part of that time was spent in three large eastern cities - on a mission that was to some extent pretextual, namely, examining American penal institutions. (Interestingly, it was also in 1831 that another youthful and well-born European, Charles Darwin, took to the sea and made of his observations from the journey the basis for a life's work attended by substantial renown.)

Tocqueville had a particularly useful background for such an undertaking: his father was a government official and an aristocrat at that. Tocqueville himself was trained as a lawyer. He also had a splendid intellect, a sensitive disposition, a knack for interviewing people who would become important later on, and the skill of listening carefully and recording his impressions in detail. Moreover, he was - like Darwin - profoundly thoughtful when it came to analyzing and distilling the materials he collected, a process he underwent twice, once for each of the two volumes that comprise this work. It bears mention that he was highly ambitious, as befitted his lineage, and yearned for fame, which he obtained largely because of this book, as opposed to fortune, which he already had.

During a trip that led them to Ohio, Niagara Falls, Canada and New Orleans, as well as the nation's capital, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia and Boston, Tocqueville and his friend, Gustav de Beaumont, encountered the travails of travel by wagon, stagecoach, canoe and steamboat, sometimes with hair-raising results. The two spent a fortnight in the wilderness, were snowbound in a crude log cabin where a glass of water left for five minutes turned to ice, visited a Shaker congregation, nearly drowned when their steamboat struck ice in a river, saw some of the evils of slavery close up, and witnessed part of the relocation of Native Americans from the South to the West. Tocqueville was particularly moved by finding a volume of Shakespeare in a pioneer cabin where he felt transported while reading "Henry V." The moral and cultural impressions these circumstances made on Tocqueville led him to open a window that lets us see some of the remarkable early history of the country from the perspective of a sympathetic but still detached observer.

Some readers may think it curious that a work originally written in French should be included in the Library of America series. But in more than one way, Tocqueville straddled two worlds, to borrow from the eminent Tocqueville expert and student of political systems, Sheldon S. Wolin. Besides owing allegiance to France where he lived most of his life (though he traveled widely to other countries besides America), he felt an almost moral commitment to and honorary citizenship in America. In a letter he wrote in 1856, he referred to himself as "half Yankee." Tocqueville was also well aware that the aristocratic order from which he came was fading and that democracy and its concomitant (indeed, its precondition), equality, were on the ascent. Thus, he saw these worlds in comparative terms, and was both judicious and acute in analyzing his perceptions. His study met with instantaneous popularity: John Stuart Mill ventured to contact Tocqueville and the two became friends. He was even compared to Montesquieu. In an introduction to an American edition, John C. Spencer, a lawyer and politician who had entertained and spoken at length with Tocqueville and Beaumont, declared that Tocqueville had written a better study of America than anyone, including Americans themselves.

The other reviews deal with Tocqueville appropriately and I do not venture to add much to what has already been said. Given that there are several other translations competing for our dollars and attention, it would have been helpful, however, if some reviewers had commented on the relative merits of the respective translations instead of only raining fulsome praise on this one.Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court have relied on the 2004 Winthrop-Mansfield translation.The Norton Critical Edition of this work relies on the venerable Reeve translation.Clearly there is reason for educated people to disagree.

Having four translations of "Democracy in America" myself, I am inclined to consult different ones from time to time, especially when peculiarities or passages that seem especially critical, complex or opaque come along, in order to get a sense of where the "center of gravity" is among the various versions.I think this is important.To take one small but piquant instance, the Reeve translation of the title for Vol. II, Part 2, Chapter XII, refers to Americans manifesting a "fanatical" spiritualism, while two others (Bevan, Winthrop-Mansfield) call it "exalted" and yet another (Goldhammer) uses "impassioned." The difference is most interesting and may prompt one to resort to the original French texts and a French-English dictionary to see what French word(s) Tocqueville used and how else it (they) might be translated nowadays, since most of us are not likely to have ready access to a French-English dictionary from the 1830's.

I agree with most of the other reviewers that Goldhammer's is the most mellifluous prose. It does not read like a translation at all. I am not sure I would go so far as to say "To read this is to feel that Tocqueville sits in the room with you."That seems a bit overwrought. Likewise, it sounds like thoughtless rhapsodizing to say "More importantly, the depth of his perception, his understanding of the changes wrought upon his world have never been rendered so clearly."Tocqueville's perception, understanding, and so on have indeed been rendered much more clearly - in the original French.That much should be obvious, notwithstanding the merits of this or any other translation. But that is the whole reason it is important to discover and compare translations - because Tocqueville's writing, while rendered clearly by different translators, still remains, in all its various nuances, beyond the grasp of those not fluent in French.

Certainly Tocqueville felt admiration for the American experiment, though perhaps not awe. Still, his sentiments were hardly unalloyed, as this book and his other writings make abundantly clear. (See especially the letters he wrote after 1840, recently translated into English.) Toqueville saw much to admire here and also much to regret. After all, he was comparing an emerging democratic order with fading aristocracies, and, commendably, he appreciated the merits and drawbacks of each system. Thus, while he lamented the overwhelmingly mercenary inclination of Americans, he also admired their restless energy and the diverse system of government that led such individualists to come together in order to achieve common purposes. To his credit, then, Tocqueville's account is balanced and measured. Those are some of the qualities that make it such a great work.

Among the advantages of this edition is that it includes Tocqueville's notes, a chronology, and scholarly notes by the editor (Oliver Zunz) and the translator. It is also a relatively slender, yet unabridged book, which means it is easy to hold and read, especially by contrast with the Winthrop-Mansfield version, which is larger and somewhat cumbersome. While there are certainly real advantages to the other translations of "Democracy in America," Goldhammer's prose is so natural and clear that it's easy to become absorbed in the book before you know it.

If you like Tocqueville, and others have commented that he is at once objective and detached while seeming to speak directly to the reader, there is a wealth ofexcellent literature by and about him, though only some of it is available in English. (My edition of the Reeve-Bowen-Bradley edition includes an extensive, albeit very dated, bibliography of works in English, French, Italian, and German.Most date from the 1800's.) George Wilson Pierson prepared a substantial tome in 1938, reprinted by Johns Hopkins in 1996, called "Tocqueville in America," which presents a rich and thorough discussion of the travels of Tocqueville and Beaumont during the time they were in America, and of the preparation of "Democracy in America." This is the more interesting because of the people and adventures the two travelers encountered here.For instance, they spoke with Joseph Story, Salmon P. Chase, and John McLean, all of whom were or became justices of the United States Supreme Court and all of whom provided substantial expertise concerning the American legal system and government. They also met for about half an hour with President Jackson; neither side seems to have been much impressed with the other. Sam Houston at first shocked them as very rustic for a former governor, though ultimately they came to admire his intelligence and his sensitivity to the plight of the Indians - a sensitivity Tocqueville shared. The most impressive American they encountered, however, was John Quincy Adams, who had ended his one term as President and was on his way to representing Massachusetts in Congress. Adams was one of the most perspicacious observers of the American situation and foresaw that slavery would indeed end but only after a major war had intervened. Tocqueville even contributed a short but passionate comment to an abolitionist publication after he returned to France.

Once back in France, Tocqueville carried on correspondence with a number of Americans, including such prominent personages as Edward Everett, Charles Sumner, Theodore Sedgwick III, Richard Rush, Henry D. Gilpin, George Bancroft, William H. Prescott, and William Alexander Duer. His correspondence after 1840 has been collected and translated by Jeremy Jennings and Aurelian Craiutu in a volume published by Oxford in 2009. This period reflects a time leading up to his death when Tocqueville was growing disillusioned with America, France, and his own life. These letters have been suggested as the basis for a possible "third volume" of "Democracy in America."

Besides Pierson's book, there is a newer and much shorter volume by Leo Damrosch (FSG 2010)called "Tocqueville's Discovery of America," that covers much of the same ground as Pierson's, though in far less depth. Sheldon S. Wolin's analysis, "Tocqueville Between Two Worlds," (Princeton 2001) is justly regarded as penetrating and well-written - probably the best analysis of Tocqueville in the last two or three score years. Tocqueville went on to write a classic history about France, "The Old Regime and the Revolution," which he could not complete before his death at 53.It will be of interest to people who want to know more about Tocqeuville's perspective on his own country. There is a comprehensive biography of Tocqueville in French by Andre Jardin (FSG 1988), which has been translated into English. Hugh Brogan also wrote a biography in English (Yale 2006) that is thorough and well-done (and not as dry as Jardin's).

Tocqueville immersed himself in this country when he and America were both young, confident, and energetic.Many of his observations will strike the reader as acute, even prophetic.His wide-ranging insights will abundantly reward reading and re-reading, on his own terms. I say that to make clear that there is a school of polemicists who yank passages from Tocqueville for their own tendentious purposes.This is unfair to the man and his work.Tocqueville deserves the same kind of thoughtful and balanced consideration from us that he gave to our nation at a time when it was still young.

Democracy in America
This is a terrific book on America, her laws, her history, and her values. It is a must read for every American.

required reading for all
I love this version of the book as it is very nice looking.

This is a great book and a great reference for anyone who enjoys reading about early American history.

Buy it!

A Must Read to Understand Our Country (US)
I was in search of a better understanding of my country and this book was the answer. It can be a little tough to read and is not the type of book you read cover to cover. For me I read it segments and then pondered over what I had read and why it was important. I felt I was transported back to the early days of the colonies during the formation and organization of our government. It is fantastic. I will be using this book to educate my child on the foundation and formation of our great nation. If you want to understand what has gone wrong in this country you must first understand what we got right and why. I would encourage more people to make the effort and read this book.

Excellent book and a great read!
This book is long, and certainly not light reading; however, although I have always been a fan of history and enjoy learning about my country I learned more in the first 45 pages than from many of the history classes I had in high school and college. This is an excellent book that will really open your eyes to not only the founding of our nation, but it's influences, variety of culture and beliefs and the origin of American politics, law and structure. This is well worth the cost of the book and would be an excellent reference for any student or history lover. One of the best books in my large collection. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (21)

DeToqueville knew his stuff!
Got this book at the library, but it was too thick to read in the alloted time. I just HAD to have it, so I bought it from Amazon.
Glad I did.

Brilliant
I am a political theory major and, without a doubt, this is one of the most interesting works on the subject. De Tocqueville is one of the few individuals in history who is able to assess and predict the politics of a foreign country better than any native of that country. This is an epic account of America that is essential for any student of history, political theory, and economics. The insights in this book are as relevant today as they were two centuries ago, and it is startling to see how many of De Tocqueville's predictions became true.

This translation by Harvey C. Mansfield and Delba Winthrop is clear, straightforward, and a pleasure to read. In short, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Book's physical unwieldiness detracts from enjoyment
I'd never read de Tocqueville and the text is indeed very stimulating and enlightening. But this book is so physically unwieldy -- and somehow rather unattractive as well -- that it's horribly unpleasant to read. I ended up physically tearing the book in two but it's still not good and I'd suggest buying another edition -- whether or not this translation is the best one and apparently that's controversial (but I have nothing to contribute on that as have not read another), I'd settle for a worse translation even if it is and a more physically pleasant book.

Great book - shame about the translation...
I really enjoyed reading this in the original French, but I found the translation cumbersome and misleading at times.I understand that Mansfield was trying to translate as literally as possible, but there are words for which literal translation yields English words with different meanings than the original French.If you can't read French and the Mansfield translation is required for your class, I would suggest that you also look at another translation to see where there are discrepancies, especially if you're writing a paper on Tocqueville.

Astute observer of America
Alexis De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks."Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into two or three countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater then most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization, and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.
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This new abridged translation of Democracy in America reflects the rich Tocqueville scholarship of the past forty years, and restores chapters central to Tocqueville's analysis absent from previous abridgments-including his discussions of enlightened self-interest and the public's influence on ethical standards.Judicious notes and a thoughtful Introduction offer aids to the understanding of a masterpiece of nineteenth-century social thought that continues in our own day to illuminate debates about the roles of liberty and equality in American life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Democracy in America
If all of Europe and especially France thought like Tosqueville, perhaps the whole continent of Europe would discover something nice about America. It makes mistakes but the country also rectifies them, and America has the big capacity to absorb and bounce back too. This is a good book and could be easily read in installents.

Astute observer of America
Alexis De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks."Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into two or three countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater then most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization, and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.

Human nature in American democracy
Toqueville's work unquestionably will last for as long as human nature remains the same. Certainly, it is diverting to read accounts about the topography and anachronistically idiosyncratic habits of the inhabitants of America over a century ago; the fundamental value of his work, however, lies in his acute understanding of human nature that does not change throughout time. I must, however, qualify this statement, since there is only one Book, the author of which I am in utter agreement. One part of his book I disagree with concerns the ways of ending slavery. It was not nearly as dangerously problematic as he thinks, since most Western nations that had had slavery peacefully eradicated it, and America could have done so by several means. (One way, although a distinct compromise, could have been for philanthropists, abolitionists, and/ or government to requite the slave owners their money and thereby instantly free those enslaved.) Having said that, I wholeheartedly agree with much of the work, and think that more than most writers on the American polity, he truly perceives how certain tendencies of human nature are revealed in this particular society founded upon practical wisdom, personal responsibility, self-reliance, and faith. Many of his disquisitions on these tendencies that could be accentuated in American democracy are now more thought-provoking than ever. One prominent example is his understanding of an issue fundamental to Americans. He famously shows how they are pragmatically intent upon getting things done by combining in 'societies.' A problem could occur if ever the citizens in general become selfish and much less self-reliant: 'individualism' could arise. He articulates a bleak portrait of a society in which none care to take personal responsibility, but are willing to sacrifice freedom for temporary security. This is disquieting for modern society, and it would be well were more people to read his work and learn from it.

Human nature in American democracy
Toqueville's work unquestionably will last for as long as human nature remains the same. Certainly, it is diverting to read accounts about the topography and anachronistically idiosyncratic habits of the inhabitants of America over a century ago; the fundamental value of his work, however, lies in his acute understanding of human nature that does not change throughout time. I must, however, qualify this statement, since there is only one Book, the author of which I am in utter agreement. One part of his book I disagree with concerns the ways of ending slavery. It was not nearly as dangerously problematic as he thinks, since most Western nations that had had slavery peacefully eradicated it, and America could have done so by several means. (One way, although a distinct compromise, could have been for philanthropists, abolitionists, and/ or government to requite the slave owners their money and thereby instantly free those enslaved.) Having said that, I wholeheartedly agree with much of the work, and think that more than most writers on the American polity, he truly perceives how certain tendencies of human nature are revealed in this particular society founded upon practical wisdom, personal responsibility, self-reliance, and faith. Many of his disquisitions on these tendencies that could be accentuated in American democracy are now more thought-provoking than ever. One prominent example is his understanding of an issue fundamental to Americans. He famously shows how they are pragmatically intent upon getting things done by combining in 'societies.' A problem could occur if ever the citizens in general become selfish and much less self-reliant: 'individualism' could arise. He articulates a bleak portrait of a society in which none care to take personal responsibility, but are willing to sacrifice freedom for temporary security. This is disquieting for modern society, and it would be well were more people to read his work and learn from it. ... Read more

Product Description
This Halcyon Classics ebook contains French political thinker and historian Alexis de Tocqueville's 2-volume DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA and AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR INFLUENCE.

DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA (originally published in two volumes, the first in 1835 and the second in 1840) examines the democratic institutions of the United States in the 1830s and its strengths and weaknesses. The work is regarded as a seminal text in economicsand a key work in the foundation of economic sociology.

AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR INFLUENCE discusses many of the common American political institutions of early 19th century, including local government, courts, jury trials, the Constitution, States Rights, voting, and many other topics.

This ebook is DRM free and includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Astute Observer of America
Alexis De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks."Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into two or three countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater then most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization, and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.
... Read more

Product Description
The Norton Critical Edition presents Tocqueville’s classic text in the Henry Reevetranslation.It isaccompanied by detailedexplanatory annotations and an introduction addressing Democracy inAmerica’s canonic andiconic place in American life.“Backgrounds” includes seven letters offeringTocqueville’simpressions ofhis nine-and-a-half month journey through the United States. Nine contemporary reviews, both American andEuropean, traceDemocracy in America’s varied initialreception.Thirteen“Interpretations” gaugeTocqueville’s influence on American political thought and on democracy’s legacy.Contributorsinclude DavidRiesman, Max Lerner, Robert Nisbet, James T. Schleifer, Catherine Zuckert,Sheldon S. Wolin, Edward C.Banfield, Daniel T.Rodgers,Arthur Schlesinger Jr., Sean Wilentz,Henry Steele Commager, James T.Kloppenberg, andTamara M.Teale. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first and last word on how Europeans see us, but from a master observer
A classic of its kind--beyond compare--a book large enough to wander in for a lifetime.

Alas, perhaps, I no-longer have an objective opinion: an essay I wrote is reprinted at the end of the section of analytical essays (on Tocqueville's view of President Jackson's "Indian Removal Act" of 1830).And to think that Tocqueville might not written his masterpiece!He nearly died in Memphis, Tennessee, from a bout with the illness which eventually killed him twenty years later (see Beaumont's journal notes). ... Read more

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A powerful new translation of de Tocqueville’s influential look at the origins of modern France

In this penetrating study, Alexis de Tocqueville considers the French Revolution in the context of France’s history. de Tocqueville worried that although the revolutionary spirit was still alive and well, liberty was no longer its primary objective. Just as the first Republic had fallen to Napoleon and the second had succumbed to his nephew Napoleon III, he feared that all future revolutions might experience the same fate, forever imperiling the development of democracy in France. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A French Perspective on the French Revolution
Edmund Burke's critique of the French Revolution might be the most famous work about that historical event, but Alexis de Tocqueville in the 1850s looked back at that revolution as well in "The Ancien Régime and the Revolution".

De Tocqueville examines what the Revolution did and did not set out to do and the extent to which it was or was not a revolution against religion.He believed that many customs and ideas of the Ancien Régime actually survived the Revolution and that centralization of power was furthered, not impeded, by it.

The author agreed with Burke on the overarching point that gradual reforms of existing institutions are the best way to improve societies, but he did disagree with Burke on some less important issues.

De Tocqueville looks at the issue of class and how the social classes in France eventually became isolated from each other.Some of the other observations he made include the importance of public opinion even under monarchies; the effects of despotism on the altruism of a populace; the supercilious attitude that many government bureaucrats and administrators have toward the populace (something that hasn't changed even today); that rulers who seek to destroy freedom while seeking to preserve its outward form always fail; and the remarkable observation that revolutions sometimes occur not when conditions go from bad to worse, but when conditions are gradually getting better.

Much as the author was able to examine America, he closes with a list of distinct French character traits and contradictions that contributed to the Revolution.This work may be of interest to those who have read Burke's work and want to see how de Tocqueville differs with him or to those who have read Democracy in America and want to plumb deeper into de Tocqueville's oeuvre.

What caused the French Revolution ?
This was required reading for a graduate course in the history of the French Revolution.Alexis De Tocqueville's research for his book The Old Regime and the Revolution taught him that there were several socio-political and economic causes that led to the Revolution.There is enough excellent historical scholarship available to finally put to bed the myth that the Enlightenment was in and of itself the impetus that caused French citizens to storm the Bastille.According to Tocqueville's excellent analysis in his book, he argues that the waning vestiges of feudalism sowed the seeds of destruction of the Old Regime.The reasons why in France the vestiges of feudalism were torn down in the cataclysmic crash of the French Revolution and not discarded as peaceably, as say in England, is the question to which his book was devoted.The first social structure he turns his attention to is the Church, the Second Estate of France, because of the socio-economic and political power it occupied in the nation.

When it came to his observations that the influence the philosophes had on the Revolution, he found that it was not unusual to find intellectuals writing about improving society and that ambition had been historically evident since the early Greeks.What Tocqueville became interested in was that since the mid-eighteenth century, this desire became the bedrock of Enlightenment writing in France and was soaked up like a sponge by its citizenry.Thus, he wrote, "The philosophy of the eighteenth century is rightly considered one of the principle causes of the Revolution and it is certainly true that that philosophy was deeply irreligious" (Tocqueville, 96).Therefore, Tocqueville argued that one of the central causes of the Revolution was the attacks on the Church by the Philosophes throughout the eighteenth century."The priests were not hated because they claimed to regulate the affairs of the other world, but because they were landowners, lords, tithe collectors, and administrators in this one" (97).

Tocqueville noted in his book that during the eighteenth century, for the most part, French intellectuals had no experience or say in governmental affairs.Tocqueville lamented that the philosophe's lack of experience created, "A frightening sight!For what is merit in a writer is sometimes vice in a statesman, and the same things which have often made lovely books can lead to great revolutions" (Tocqueville, 201).However, Tocqueville also found that the country, "...was at the same time the most educated of all nations on earth, and the most fond of things intellectual, one will understand without difficulty how writers became a political power in France, and ended up being the most important one" (Tocqueville 200).

Recommended reading for anyone interested in political philosophy, enlightenment history, and the French Revolution.I also recommend you read the book that Tocqueville is most famous for "Democracy In America" although written in the 1830's it is still the most prescient look at America and its citizenry.
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Customer Reviews (6)

He Still Matters
I read "Democracy in America" when I was in college and wrote a paper looking at how the issues Tocqueville discussed in the 1830s played out in 1980s America.My conclusion was that many of his insights still had amazing relevance and yet his over-arching analysis of how America functioned as a democracy was pretty weak.He didn't understand the Presidency and Congress and completely neglected the role of political parties.However, his thoughts about American character; the striving for material success, the triumph of mediocrity, our refreshing practicality, the tyranny of majority and most amazingly how America and Russia would one day become polar opposite but competing superpowers were still all wonderfully relevant to modern American life.

Hugh Brogan's book similarly points out the strength and weaknesses of Tocqueville's work so I feel vindicated in my youthful analysis. As a biographer, he is terrific.He has studied Tocqueville for much of his 40 years as a historian but waited to complete this work until he could access much of the Tocqueville archives that had been off-limits until recently.I felt he got inside Tocqueville, revealing his character, his times and feelings with amazing power.He also gave a sense of his many close relationships. I knew how he felt towards his tutor, his parents, best friends and wife.Sadly, he also gives a harrowing description of Tocqueville's last years of illness and the man's relationship to his sickness which was both complex and naive.

I thought he was less successful in helping me understand Tocqueville's intellectual process.He talks about him being insightful but doesn't detail how those insights came about.I also think he could have put Tocqueville's work into intellectual historical context; how did he compare to other great thinkers of his era? What accounts for his ongoing influence when many others have faded away, have become important as indicative of their age or how they changed the way people thought about issues but aren't worth consulting for how we should think about our world today.That quality is what make Tocqueville so special.

I have one other quibble.There is no discussion of why he and his wife didn't have children.Was it because of infertility?Choice?How did they feel about this? I have to believe that during this period and in the aristocratic class, not having children would be a big deal.

Excellent Biography; 4.5 Stars
This very enjoyable book is an excellent study of the very interesting French writer and politician Alexis de Tocqueville.Known best for his analysis of contemporary America, de Tocqueville is a notable figure in the history of political thought and a key source for the history of 19th century America.Brogan's Tocqueville is an essentially conservative figure.The descendent of relatively liberal aristocrats under the Ancien Regime, a number of whom were executed during the Terror, Tocqueville grew up in a legitimist household that detested the Bonapartist state and feared the radicalism that led to the Terror.Tocqueville, however, was too intelligent and preceptive to be a dogmatic Throne and Altar conservative.Following his famous trip to the USA in the early 1830s, he published Democracy in America, a case study in how a liberal society dedicated to political equality, property rights, and respect for law could produce lasting stability.Brogan points out well that Democracy in America, while about American democracy, was inspired by concerns about the role of democracy in France.At the same time, while Democracy affirmed a liberal vision, Brogan is careful to point out that it was a somewhat conservative version of liberalism and that Tocqueville did not really understand important aspects of American democracy.He didn't really understand the role of Congress and appears to have been completely clueless about the crucial role of the party system in providing stability.
Tocqueville's failure to understand crucial aspects of the American democratic system would prove to be hindrance in Tocqueville's political career.Brogan devotes much of the book to a thoughtful description of Tocqueville the politician.More than anything else, his political career shows his essential conservatism.At times, his fear of unrest led him to support distinctly illiberal policies.Like many of his contemporaries, Tocqueville doesn't seem to understand the changes being brought about by the industrialization of Europe and to his last days, he had a fear of urban unrest and the nascent working class.
Brogan shows very well that his last great work, the very interesting Ancien Regime and the French Revolution, should be interpreted in good measure as a critique of the Second Empire.Tocqueville's contemporary preoccupations clearly influenced the themes of his last major work.
Tocqueville is often compared with Montesquieu and this is quite apt.Its clear from Brogan's account that Tocqueville's version of liberalism and democracy was one in the tradition of classical 18th century republicanism.He would definitely have preferred a society with democratic elements but also with institutions that allowed a powerful voice for a principled elite.This vision, shared by people like John Adams and even James Madison in his early constitutional proposals, essentially evaporated in the early years of the American democracy.Tocqueville was pursuing something that had really become anachronistic in his own time.
Brogan writes affectionately but objectively about Tocqueville.This book is written very well with a nice combination of the primary narrative and enough background information to be informative but not over power the narrative.

de Tocqueville from A to Z
He seems the unlikeliest person to write an incisive study of American democracy: a rather spoiled son of a French aristocrat of the ancien regime, and one who suffered from a sense of futility in his own life.But the amazing truth is the Alexis de Tocqueville was exactly the best qualified man to do exactly that.Scholarly, intelligent, a precise writer, de Tocqueville was the one to write an immortal study of American life that would become in time a classic. Best of all, he wrote his work not in his study, but after an intense journey through America itself in the early 1830s.
Hugh Brogan's biography is an excellent study of this young author, and probably the very best modern biography.He uses de Tocquevilles' letters and other contemporary writings to illuminate the life and thought of the young aristocrat.And aristocrat he was, his father having stoutly stood by the French crown through its many vicissitudes (and nearly executed by the Jacobins for this).Young Alexis himself clung to the aristocracy until the turbulent days of the July Monarchy, when the Bourbons were unseated by the Orleanists.After this, the young writer lost much of his loyalty to the crown.
Brogan's book is well written, and covers the political scene in France during de Tocqueville's time quite thoroughly.It is simply a book not to be missed about the world of this very talented young man, who proved to be so influential in studies about America and democracy in general.

The roots of American history
Hugh Brogan brings to light on of the most careful and subtle minds ever to ponder the origin and meanings of democracy in American history, the fall of the Ancien Regime, and the the basis for much of what passes for modern political thought.

One of my favorite all-time biographies!!
Every line is almost poetic in this beautifully written biography of de Tocqueville. Gorgeous imagery and flowing language--Alexis comes to life as though he lived only 10 years ago rather than many decades ago! Wonderful book!! ... Read more

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Las sociedades politicas son, no lo que les hacen las leyes, sino lo que les preparan a ser de antemano los sentimientos, las creencias, las ideas, los habitos de corazon y de mente de los hombres que las componen, lo que el temperamento y la educacion han hecho de ellos. Si esta verdad no sale de todas las partes de mi libro, si no lleva a los lectores a examinarse continuamente a si mismos, si no les muestra a cada instante, sin hacer alarde de tener la pretension de ensenarles, cuales son los sentimientos, las ideas, las costumbres que unicamente pueden conducir a la prosperidad y a la libertad publica, cuales son los vicios y los errores que, por contra, les apartan irrefutablemente de ellas, no habre alcanzado el principal y, por asi decir, el unico objetivo que tengo en vista. Toda la obra de Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) es una reflexion sobre la libertad o su ausencia, el despotismo. Tanto en La democracia en America (1835 y 1840), como en El Antiguo Regimen y la Revolucion (1856), obra que dejo inacabada, explora la forma de conseguir que el regimen democratico posterior a 1789 sea tan igualitario como libre. Nadie como Tocqueville ha sabido defender la libertad y anunciar los peligros que pueden ir unidos a construir una democracia basada exclusivamente en la igualdad, el individualismo y el bienestar material. La democracia en America ha pasado de ser el mejor libro nunca escrito sobre los Estados Unidos a ser tambien el mejor libro sobre la democracia. En esta edicion critica se reproducen notas, correspondencias, comentarios, variantes y fragmentos ineditos que ayudan a comprender mejor el pensamiento de Tocqueville y el complejo proceso de redaccion del libro. ... Read more

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An excellent book
This book is a must for all those who want to understand democracy. A very good prospective on the realities behind success. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: France; History / Europe / France; Philosophy / Political; Political Science / General; Political Science / Political Ideologies / Democracy; Political Science / History ... Read more

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Out of Alex de Tocqueville's travels through the U.S. in the 1830's came an insightful study of a young democracy and its institutions. This 2 volume edition presents Tocqueville's original text. Footnotes, bibliography.Amazon.com Review
In 1831 French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville came to theUnited States to investigate its prison system. America was then anation of 13 million people populating 24 states, with a largelyunsettled territorial claim stretching westward to the Pacific.Seriously distracted from his original mission, the 25-year-oldTocqueville ended up writing about America's people, culture, history,geography, politics, legal system, and economy in ways so insightfuland prophetic that today historians, professors, and politicians stillconsider his work Democracy in America a classic.

"For [Tocqueville] America was both the enticing object and theuniversal symbol of a New World in the making," writes historianand author Daniel J.Boorstin in his introduction to Volume I. "He was a master atseeing and describing the symbolism. Even more important, he wrotewith an uncanny feeling for the grand currents of history and with awholesome sense of how much and how little we can deflect thosecurrents." This edition, the first in a two-volume set, is theHenry Reeve text, revised by Francis Bowen,and further edited by Phillips Bradley. (Click here forinformation about Volume II of Democracy in America.) Ifyou've never read Democracy in America, take this opportunityto discover Tocqueville's startlingly astute observations on ademocracy in its infancy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Astute Observer of America
De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy.From reading the book I deduced that De Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx!He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America.He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe.He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America.He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks".De Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government.He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.

De Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union.He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government.He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government.He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into 2 or 3 countries because of regional interests and differences.This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong.Despite some of his misgivings, De Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world.The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater than most people realized.He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.

De Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together.I am convinced that De Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science.A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.

Still the Greatest Foreigner's View of America
"Democracy in America", published in two parts (the first in 1835, the second in 1840), is the great work of Alexis de Tocqueville, a young, aristocratic Frenchman, who traveled through most of the Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States during a 9 month period in 1832.Tocqueville had originally set out to study the U.S. prison system but what he saw inspired him to write about much, much more.

The foresight he had for such a young man is really impressive to read 160 years later.What he saw in the morals, work ethic and government structure of the United States led him to accurately predict many of the ways in which the U.S. would lead and has led the world.At the same time Tocqueville was not oblivious to many of the ills in the America he saw.He very wisely writes of the cancer that the institution of slavery was to not only all black Americans, but to the white, Southern farmers and workers as well.

I hate having to give these books "stars" for ratings because in many cases it takes away from the ultimate importance and classic status of a book like this one.Tocqueville does tend to jump around and venture off into different topics that don't fit with the rest of their chapter, which could be attributed to his youth.Also, a few of his predictions, naturally, were way off.A native Texan, I had a good laugh at his view that "the province of Texas is still part of the Mexican dominions, but it will soon contain no Mexicans."But overall Tocqueville's view of America was honest, accurate, and the perfect explanation of why, on a daily basis, people continue to risk their lives to gain the freedom that only the United States of America offers.

Absolutely essential for understanding American politics
This is one of the greatest books ever written on politics! Toqueville analyzes American democracy and its inherent strengths and weaknesses from the view of a foreigner, thus giving the reader a balanced view of thesituation.A definite must-read for anyone concerned with politics andAmerican politics in particular.

kick ass
for any gov., hist., econ., soc., anth. student a must read

confronting greatness
to read democracy in america is to confront greatness itself, to follow the reflections of one the greatest political thinkers of all time, a man of balanced rationality, with a passionate concern for the fate of democracy--true democracy, that is, not the kind we see politicians preach on tv everyday. personally i prefer volume 2 of this great work, where the author summons up his astonishingly penetrating power of analysis and prophesy ... Read more

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