Democracy In America
(Tocqueville, Alexis)
In 1830, Alexis de Tocqueville, a French aristocrat, embarked on a tour of American prisons. That however, seems to be of less significance than his other studies. As an aristocrat in the old European sense of socio-political status he foresaw the coming of a worldwide shift towards representative democracy. From his careful and astute observations he wrote an oft quoted little read book, democracy IN AMERICA.
I first encountered excerpts as a High School American Literature teacher. Different textbooks excerpt what they deem to be representative of the nature of Tocqueville?s observations of Americans. In general they try to find ones that characterize us as a people. I surmise that this is due in part to their being Literature and not Political Science or History textbooks. Either way, by leaving students with the idea that Tocqueville was merely characterizing America.
They have missed that he was using America as a starting point for a discussion of the nature of representative democracy. He foresaw that the monarchies of the old world would soon fall victim to the rising tide of human rights and human individuality. No longer would the masses assume that government was a parental authority in whom they could trust blindly. Tocqueville?s own French Revolution had proven that to him.
It is important to note that many readers read an attitude into what Tocqueville says. Some read a romantic longing for this new age, which is difficult to swallow since he himself is an aristocrat. Others read too much aristocratic arrogance into his words. This too is simplistic and, in fact, he even derided a friend?s English translation as too aristocratic (he wrote in French but was obviously fluent in English).
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA is one of the most influential books I have ever read. If I had to name the top five on my list I would definitely place this among the others which include Plato?s REPUBLIC and Aristotle?s NICOMACHEAN ETHICS (both abstracted for shvoong.com).
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- Alexis De Tocqueville: A Life
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