Democracy in America

De la démocratie en Amérique (published in two volumes, the first in 1835 and the second in 1840) is a classic French text by Alexis de Tocqueville on the United States in the 1830s and its strengths and weaknesses. A literal translation of its title is On Democracy in America, but the common translation of the title is Democracy in America.

Importance

Democracy in America was published in numerous editions in the 19th century. It was immediately popular in both Europe and the United States. By the twentieth century, it had become a classic work of political science, social science, and history. It is commonly assigned reading for undergraduates majoring in the political or social sciences.

Related Topics:
19th century - Europe - Undergraduate - Majoring - Social sciences

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Tocqueville's work is often acclaimed for making a number of predictions which were eventually borne out. Tocqueville correctly anticipates the potential of the debate over the abolition of slavery to tear apart the United States (as it indeed did in the American Civil War). He also predicts the rise of the United States and the Soviet Union as superpowers.

Related Topics:
Abolition - Slavery - American Civil War - Soviet Union - Superpower

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Democracy in America was also seen to have its potential downside: the despotism of public opinion, the tyranny of majorities, the absence of intellectual freedom which seemed to him to degrade administration and bring statesmanship, learning, and literature to the level of the lowest. 'Democracy in America' predicted the violence of party spirit and the judgment of the wise subordinated to the prejudices of the ignorant. It is arguable whether these predictions also came to fruition.

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Democracy in America is acclaimed for its author's perception, but it has also been criticized by recent scholars for gaps in its discussion; for instance, Tocqueville almost ignores mentioning poverty in the cities. That is because that time - in the early 1830's - poverty in America was not as widespread as in England. That time the USA - aka the Jacksonian America - was much more rural, much more dominated by the farmers and the so-called pioneers.

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