He is best known for his works democracy in america appearing in two volumes, 1835 and 1840 and the old regime and the revolution. This edition, based on the revised and corrected text of the 1961 french edition and meticulously edited by. It remains the most often quoted book about the united states, not only. Morgan in the eleven years that separated the declaration of the independence of the united states from the completion of that act in the ordination of our written constitution, the great. This special edition contains the entire two volumes of democracy in america, based on the. The author documents his travels through america and contrasts his experiences with established aristocratic systems in western europe. Although, the orders were to investigate the american prison system, alexis used the time to research his book, democracy in america.
In both he analyzed the improved living standards and social conditions. His 9month go to and subsequent studying and reflection resulted in democracy in america 1835forty, a landmark masterpiece of political remark and evaluation. Unlike most of the others, however, the book tocqueville wrote has proved over the years to be a lasting source of information and insight into both america and. Its title translates as on democracy in america, but english translations are usually simply entitled democracy in america. Democracy in america vol 1 part 1 chapter 8 summary course hero. Democracy in america 18351840 is arguably the most perceptive and influential book ever written about american politics and society. Democracy in america has had the singular honor of being even to this day the work that political commentators of every stripe refer to when they seek to draw large conclusions about the society of the united states. It was an interesting time to visit america, halfway between the establishment of the constitution and the civil war. Tocqueville looked to the flourishing democratic system in american as a possible model for postrevolutionary france, believing its egalitarian.
While historians have viewed democracy as a rich source about the age of andrew jackson, tocqueville was more of a political thinker than a historian. In the book, tocqueville examines the democratic revolution that. In democracy in america, tocqueville vividly describes the unprecedented social equality he found in america and explores its implications for european society in the emerging modern era. In the eleven years that separated the declaration of the independence of the united states from the completion of that act in the ordination of our written constitution, the great minds of america were bent upon the study of the principles of government that were essential to the preservation of the liberties which had been won at great cost. A literal translation of its title is of democracy in america, but the usual translation of the title is simply democracy in america. The result was democracy in america, a monumental study of the strengths and weakensses of the nations evolving politics. Any person using this document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk. In the book, tocqueville captures the american character of the jacksonian era. The project tocqueville undertook in writing democracy in america was a highly ambitious one. However, while here and touring the country he began something far more interesting, a work known as democracy in america. Map of the united states appearing in the first edition of democracy in america 1835, reproduced with kind permission of the special collections research center, university of chicago library. Democracy in america and two essays on america penguin. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. The surprisingly large number of readers who chuckled over toby youngs how to lose friends.
He was best known for his works democracy in america appearing in two volumes, 1835 and 1840 and the old regime and the revolution 1856. He was a magistrate and completely assessed the whole system including the political affects of the sdministration and the legal system, comparing it. This portable document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. The book he wrote on his return to france, democracy in america, is both the best ever written on democracy and the best ever written on america. In the book, tocqueville examines the democratic revolution that he believed had been occurring over the previous several hundred years. What struck him most was the countrys equality of conditions, its democracy. The result was democracy in america, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nations evolving politics. Henry reeve is a publication of the pennsylvania state university. Having seen the failed attempts at democratic government in his native france, he wanted to study a stable and prosperous democracy to gain insights into how it worked. Corruption and vices of the rulers in a democracy and consequent effects. Democracy in america, tocqueville, mansfield, winthrop. Observing from the perspective of a detached social scientist, tocqueville wrote of his travels through the united states in the early 19th century when the market revolution.
He was a student of the consequences of the french revolution and had a very disdainful view of power for a diplomat in particular the elites ability to eventually exploit the loopholes and take power back from the people. The result was democracy in america, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nations evolvi. From america s call for a free press to its embrace of the capitalist system, democracy in america first published in 1835enlightens, entertains, and endures as a brilliant study of our national government and character. This enduring classic explores the civil institutions and. It remains the most often quoted book about the united states, not only because. In democracy in america, published in 1835, tocqueville wrote of the new world and its burgeoning democratic order.
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