Democracy in America and Two Essays on America

by Alexis de Tocqueville, John C Spencer, Antonio Sánchez De Bustamante

Book Overview

A contemporary study of the early American nation and its evolving democracy, from a French aristocrat and sociologist

In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and ambitious civil servant, set out from post-revolutionary France on a journey across America that would take him 9 months and cover 7,000 miles. The result was Democracy in America, a subtle and prescient analysis of the life and institutions of 19th-century...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140447601
• ISBN13: 9780140447606
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 992 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.8" x 5.6" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A PROFOUNDLY PROPHETIC MASTERPIECE OF POLITICAL THOUGHT

This book has an abundance of profound observations of both praise and constructive criticism of the American political system, delivered in a richly eloquent and distinctly objective manner by a young Nineteenth Century French aristocrat/lawyer with a very impressive grasp of enduring political reality. The heart of Tocqueville's message is twofold: (1) his praise of Americans' voluntary associations as prime examples of what results from individuals pursuing enlightened self-interest, and (2) his warning that American democracy has the potential to devolve into pervasive majoritarian tyranny by an all-powerful central government covering the surface of society with a network of small complicated rules and treating citizens like children or timid and industrious animals, in perpetuity. In other words, he accurately predicted the out-of-control bureaucracy and rule by opinion poll which is now inflicting its hypnotic popular tyranny upon us. END

Helps Americans make sense of themselves....

...and others understand Americans. I was required to read this book for a college course and was actually dreading its seemingly tedious discourses on a myriad of subjects. After diving in, however, I discovered something totally different was contained. One thing sorely lacking from education in grades K-12 is REALITY. As children we are indoctrinated with the idea of American supremacy to all other nations. I can understand instilling love in one's country, but we're being brainwashed here! After going through college I began to wrestle with the inherent contradictions of American thinking. This book systematically handles many of those issues and really helps American citizens realize how we've gotten ourselves where we are today (filthy rich & hated throughout the world.) I don't hate America, just a lot of what the government does. this book will greatly expand your way of thinking on various subjects. If taught in the proper manner, this book will shatter conventional concepts of America. Forget all that other crap we had to read in school...this should be required reading. It handles everything from economics, art, gender issues, etc....a classic.

Great Book.

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

kick ass

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