Democracy in America (I)
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- Clean text
- Extent:
- ~200,000 words · 944 passages
Cite this work
- APAAlexis de Tocqueville. (n.d.). Democracy in America (I). SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america-volume-1
- MLAAlexis de Tocqueville. "Democracy in America (I)." SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america-volume-1.
- ChicagoAlexis de Tocqueville. Democracy in America (I). SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/alexis-de-tocqueville/democracy-in-america-volume-1.
What it is about
The first volume: American institutions seen close up — the township, the courts, the press, the parties, the federation — and what makes them work.
Context and history
Tocqueville travelled to the United States in 1831 on an official commission to study its prisons, and the book that came of it was something else. This first volume, of 1835, is descriptive and optimistic; the second, of 1840, is far more abstract and far darker, and it is there that the famous 'soft despotism' appears — a society of equals surrendering itself to a tutelary power. They should not be confused, nor cited as though they were one book written at one time.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
Chapter IV: The Principle Of The Sovereignty Of The People In America Chapter Summary Chapter V: Necessity Of Examining The Condition Of The States—Part I Chapter V: Necessity Of Examining The Condition Of The States—Part II Chapter V: Necessity Of Examining The Condition Of The States—Part III Chapter VI: Judicial Power In The United States Chapter Summary Chapter VII: Political Jurisdiction In The United States Chapter Summary Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution—Part I Chapter Summary Summary Of The Federal Constitution Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution—Part II Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution—Part III Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution—Part IV Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution—Part V Chapter IX: Why The People May Strictly Be Said To Govern In The United Chapter X: Parties In The United States Chapter Summary Parties In The United States Chapter XI: Liberty Of The Press In The United States Chapter Summary Chapter XII: Political Associations In The United States Chapter Summary Chapter XIII: Government Of The Democracy In America—Part I Chapter XIII: Government Of The Democracy In America—Part II Chapter XIII: Government Of The Democracy In America—Part III Chapter XIV: Advantages American Society Derive From Democracy—Part I Chapter XIV: Advantages American Society Derive From Democracy—Part II Chapter XV: Unlimited Power Of Majority, And Its Consequences—Part I Chapter Summary Chapter XV: Unlimited Power Of Majority, And Its