Kahan, one of the worlds leading authorities on tocquevilles work, presents an accessible and rigorous account of the french authors ideas set in the context of his life and times. He had a private tutor, the abbe lesueur, until high school. Its title translates as on democracy in america, but english translations are usually simply entitled democracy in america. What struck him most was the countrys equality of conditions, its democracy. He was a white french journalist and abolitionist writer. The book he wrote on his return to france, democracy in america, is both the. 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. 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. While his father was gaining a peerage, alexis was learning democratic viewpoints. American institutions and their influence 1851 edition, 528 pages, contrib. It remains the most often quoted book about the united states, not only.
He wrote democracy in america after visiting the united states during which he observed various elements of the prison system. In the book, tocqueville examines the democratic revolution that he believed had been occurring over the previous several hundred years. In both he analyzed the improved living standards and social conditions. Eduardo nolla, translated from the french by james t. Project gutenberg offers 62004 free ebooks for kindle, ipad, nook, android, and iphone. His twovolume classic, democracy in america, published in 1835, not only offered a vivid account of what was then a new nation. He had a private tutor, the abbe lesueur, until high school, and then attended high. The author documents his travels through america and contrasts his experiences with established aristocratic systems in western europe. Democracy in america 18351840 is arguably the most perceptive and influential book ever written about american politics and society. 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. There are now two great nations in the world, which starting from different points, seem to be advancing toward the same. His twovolume classic, democracy in america, published in 1835, not only offered a vivid account of what was then a new nation but famously predicted what that nation would become. After barely escaping the guillotine, his parents escaped to england.
In the two years of his journey through america, tocqueville became fascinated by the lifestyle of americans, and later wrote a book, democracy in america. In the books second volume, he warns that modern democracy may be. Democracy in america, tocqueville, mansfield, winthrop. This enduring classic explores the civil institutions and. 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. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at.