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 he believed had been occurring over the previous several hundred years. Equality is so deeply ingrained in laws, social conditions, mores, habits and opinions that destroying it would be extremely difficult. This 2 volume edition presents tocquevilles original text. Former iranian president mohammad khatami said in a cnn interview in 1998. Democracy in america chapter summaries course hero. When tocqueville visited america in the 1830s he found a thriving democracy of a kind he had not seen anywhere else. 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. Having seen the failed attempts at a democratic government in his native france, tocqueville set out to study a stable and prosperous democracy in order to gain insight into how it work. 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.
Its title translates as on democracy in america, but english translations are usually simply entitled democracy in america. The result was democracy in america, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nations evolvi. It was an interesting time to visit america, halfway between the establishment of the constitution and the civil war. 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.
In the book, tocqueville examines the democratic revolution that he believed. Democracy in america, volume 1 this work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. America was then a nation of million people populating 24 states, with a largely unsettled territorial claim stretching westward to the pacific. Page 297 the nation which indulges towards another an habitual hatred, or an habitual fondness, is in some degree a slave. Its practically a founding document of these united states. This special edition contains the entire two volumes of democracy in america, based on the.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read democracy in america. Jan 21, 2006 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Volume i explores the factors that contributed to the success of democracy in the united states, as well as the possible future of democracy in light of the unique religion and socioeconomic factors that existed in the united states at that time. The most perfect form of equality requires complete freedom. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. The first chapter, upon the exterior form of north america, as the theatre upon which the great drama. Heffner and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The project tocqueville undertook in writing democracy in america was a highly ambitious one.
Democracy in america vol 1 part 1 chapter 8 summary course hero. Tocqueville s monumental book is as relevant today as when it was first published in the midnineteenth century, and it remains the most comprehensive, penetrating, and astute picture of american life, politics, and morals ever written whether by an american or, as in this case, a foreign visitor. Many of his insightful observations american society and political system, found in the two volume book he published after his visit, still remain surprisingly relevant today. Were literary excellence the sole claim of democracy in america to distinction, the splendor of its composition alone would entitle it to high place among the masterpieces of the century. People in democratic nations love equality much more than liberty. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign lord king james, by the grace of god of great britain, france, and ireland king, defender of the faith, etc. The author documents his travels through america and contrasts his experiences with established aristocratic systems in western europe. Yet imperfect equality can allow for great despotism. Eduardo nolla, translated from the french by james t. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Democracy in america, volume i and ii optimized for kindle. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading democracy in america, volume i and ii optimized for kindle.
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