Democracy in America [Paperback]

Alexis De Tocqueville (Author), J. P. Mayer (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0060915226 | ISBN-13: 978-0060915223 | Publication Date: September 1988

Endlessly quoted and referred to, Tocqueville's great history is as relevant now as when it was first published in the mid-19th century, and it remains the most penetrating and astute picture of American life ever written.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As Alexis de Tocqueville traveled through the young United States, he wrote in his introduction to the first volume of Democracy in America, "the more clearly I saw equality of conditions as the creative element from which each particular fact derived, and all my observations constantly returned to this nodal point." And there is an abundance of observations to be found here, with chapters that consider everything from "judicial power in the United States and its effect on political society" to "why the Americans erect some pretty monuments and others that are very grand."

Why does Tocqueville remain one of the most insightful analysts of American society? Certainly there is the comprehensive nature of his project, but one must also take into account the brilliance of his prose, with just the right balance of elegance and clarity. Democracy in America is as accessible to the modern reader as the work of any contemporary journalist, political scientist, or sociologist--and in many cases more so. It is an essential volume for anybody concerned with American history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 792 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (September 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060915226
• ISBN-13: 978-0060915223
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #90,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Astute Observer of America, April 21, 2010

By 

Michael A Neulander "Political Philosophy" (VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Democracy in America, Volume I and II (Optimized for Kindle) (Kindle Edition)

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.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Analysis!!!!, December 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Democracy in America (Paperback)

I took a class on Sociology and Law in college and my professor kept on referring to this book. I decided to see what he was talking about first hand and am glad I did! This book is expertly written and thought provoking. This is kind of book that you take out and reference every once in a while. Yes, it does get boring in some parts but I think that if you are in the legal profession or you just like history this is a book for you!!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book., December 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Democracy in America (Paperback)

This is probably the best book on the history of American Government. I loved it. I highly recommend it.