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. A new translation by arthur goldhammer library of america. American institutions and their influence 1851 edition, 528 pages, contrib. Published in 2 volumes, in 1835 and 1840, tocqueville records his findings after studying the thriving. 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.
A literal translation of its title is on democracy in america, but the usual translation of the title is simply democracy in. The result was democracy in america, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nations evolvi. His father gained some political power under the reign of the bourbons, and after the july revolution of 1830, the family was exiled along with the king. Includes previously unpublished letters, essays, and other writings. With contributions from donors, library of america preserves and celebrates a vital part of. In his democracy in america, tocqueville also forecast the preeminence of the united states and russia as the two main global powers. His ninemonth visit and subsequent reading and reflection resulted in this landmark masterpiece of political. A nobleman, he was prominent in politics, particularly just before and just after the revolution of 1848 see revolutions of 1848, and was minister of foreign affairs briefly in 1849. They have not only commercial and manufacturing companies, in which all take part, but associations of a thousand other kinds religious, moral, serious, futile, extensive or restricted, enormous or diminutive. Page 129 americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions, constantly form associations.
Their friendship and their travels, edited by oliver zunz, translated by arthur goldhammer university of virginia press, 2011, 698 pages. Born a french aristocrat, he lost nearly his entire family in the reign of terror, and he spent most of his adult life struggling for liberty under the unsuccessful regimes of nineteenthcentury france. Much of ralph raicos scholarly work centers on french classical liberalism. Democracy in america 18351840 is arguably the most perceptive and influential book ever written about american politics and society. From americas 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. What struck him most was the countrys equality of conditions, its democracy. He wrote democracy in america after visiting the united states during which he observed various elements of the prison system. With america caught in the permanent glare of critical attention for its foreign policy and france tottering from one. Project gutenberg offers 61853 free ebooks for kindle, ipad, nook, android, and iphone. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read democracy in america. In the book, tocqueville examines the democratic revolution that he believed had been occurring over the previous several hundred years. This edition, based on the revised and corrected text of the 1961 french edition and meticulously edited by. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
Its title translates as on democracy in america, but english translations are usually simply entitled democracy in america. By changing the areas of the plate that are exposed and the length of time the plate is submerged in the acid bath, the engraver can obtain fine and varying shades of gray that closely resemble watercolor. The book he wrote on his return to france, democracy in america, is both the best ever. While historians have viewed democracy as a rich source about the age of andrew jackson, tocqueville was. It remains the most often quoted book about the united states, not only because it has something to interest and please everyone, but also because it has something to teach. The book he wrote on his return to france, democracy in america, is both the.
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