Democracy in America Volume 2 Alexis de 18051859 Tocqueville 9781173292669 Books
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Democracy in America Volume 2 Alexis de 18051859 Tocqueville 9781173292669 Books
I’ve always been fascinated by America, the American experiment, the American experience. In college, I found my place in the sociology, anthropology, political science and literature of the American people, values and ideals. My novels are born of the culture of merging, conflicting cultures we, as Americans, were born into, from my conviction that dealing with that experience is the challenge of being American. Only once before, in 1968, have I had the horrifying sense that the country was coming apart under the strain, a sense of the great experiment disintegrating.What has happened to us? Where did this disintegration into hate and violence, this contempt for our institutions begin and where is it taking us? From all of my early studies, the work that keeps coming to mind, as I look for answers is Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. De Tocqueville was a French aristocrat who hated tyranny and feared that democracy would disintegrate into tyranny of the majority. He understood, however that democracy was the future, so in 1831 he came to America in order to see it in action. To my mind, no student should graduate from high school in the United States without reading his observations and reflections on the American people, for we desperately need to renew our sense of not only the hope but the challenges of being an American and a commitment to support its survival as a democracy.
De Tocqueville feared individualism and the abolition of the class system that, he believed, gave order and stability to the European nations. He believed that without that order, people would be forever anxious about where they belonged and would end up forever comparing themselves to each other. Forever insecure, their individualism would devolve into selfishness and each would end up alone. We should take a good look at ourselves in light of this fear. Has our insecurity, our need to know where we belong splintered us into rival groups where each gains stature by debunking the other?
However, De Tocqueville also found in the Americans, an equality unknown in Europe and with a deep sense of community and civil order. He found a people committed to building a new world, to resolving together the problems that confronted them. He believed that the multitude of civic organizations would counter the dangers of individualism. The men, he thought, would forever strive to power and acquisition of wealth, but the mores, the “habits of the heart” carried by the women, would provide the civilizing force.
He has a great deal to say about the role of religion in the New World and many other subjects, but this gives a taste of a perspective different enough to shake up the all-to-stale ideologies that have broken us into enemy camps. We have indeed joined civil action groups, but we have, since Trump’s election, discovered the importance of unwritten mores, that undergird our common culture. That gives us the opportunity to regain our sense of belonging to a whole.
His views on the role of women should spark lively conversations on individualism versus commitment for both genders as well as on the effect of the rampant greed of the eighties and nineties. De Tocqueville believed it is the “habits of the heart” that give the Americans strength. We need to rediscover those together.
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Democracy in America Volume 2 Alexis de 18051859 Tocqueville 9781173292669 Books Reviews
This is a review of the Library of America 2004 edition of Democracy in America translated by Arthur Goldhammer, found here Alexis de Tocqueville Democracy in America A new translation by Arthur Goldhammer (Library of America). Unfortunately lumps together reviews of several different editions from several publishers, so it is difficult to know which edition is being reviewed. For this reason, and because many others have reviewed the content of Tocqueville's amazingly insightful work, I will focus solely on the physical aspects of the Library of America edition.
In my opinion, the Library of America edition is excellent. It is not the least expensive edition, but I believe it is worth the extra dollars, and is really quite reasonably priced given the quality. Considering it contains over 900 pages covering both volumes 1 and 2 of Democracy in America, the book is remarkably compact at 5 inches wide by 8 inches tall by 1.25 inches thick. This is made possible by using thin paper which still appears to be quite durable. The hardbound binding also appears to be very durable, and even contains a built-in ribbon marker. Even the dust jacket is made from heavier than usual stuff. The font used for the text is large and very clear. The 2004 translation by Goldhammer is in what I would call a modern style of English that I found easy to understand. In other words, I didn't have to fight the translation in order to follow and think about what Tocqueville was actually saying.
There are several helps included. The frontispiece contains a map from the original 1835 edition that describes North America as it was when Missouri and Arkansas were the westernmost states. Translated from the French, it proved to be quite helpful at times. The end of the volume contains a chronology that is a pretty thorough biography of Tocqueville himself. There is also an extensive index, along with notes on the text and translation.
All in all, I found this to be an understandable and durable edition that does justice to Tocqueville's timeless work. I recommend it.
Given that I do not speak/read French, I cannot speak to the accuracy of the translation, however, this translation was a pleasure to read in English. Also, the footnotes were helpful, and the chronology section helped put Tocqueville himself in context nicely. I read the kindle edition, and it was well formatted.
Apart from this specific translation/edition, I don't think that I can add much that isn't already out there about Democracy in America other than perhaps to point out that you are much less likely to find it interesting if you are not at least somewhat familiar with 18th and 19th century French history. If this is the case, I would recommend at least reading "Revolutionary France 1770-1880" by François Furet prior to starting Democracy in America.
It is quite amazing and by far my favorite translation and compilation of all things Tocqueville. How the books and chapters are divided at first seem confusing, but you quickly adjust if you are familiar with Tocqueville. I am definitely not a Tocqueville scholar, but I guarantee this is the greatest review of the American political system to this day. Pick up a copy of The Federalist Papers and Anti-federalist Papers while you're at it and you will have the quintessential trifecta of American democracy.
I’ve always been fascinated by America, the American experiment, the American experience. In college, I found my place in the sociology, anthropology, political science and literature of the American people, values and ideals. My novels are born of the culture of merging, conflicting cultures we, as Americans, were born into, from my conviction that dealing with that experience is the challenge of being American. Only once before, in 1968, have I had the horrifying sense that the country was coming apart under the strain, a sense of the great experiment disintegrating.
What has happened to us? Where did this disintegration into hate and violence, this contempt for our institutions begin and where is it taking us? From all of my early studies, the work that keeps coming to mind, as I look for answers is Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. De Tocqueville was a French aristocrat who hated tyranny and feared that democracy would disintegrate into tyranny of the majority. He understood, however that democracy was the future, so in 1831 he came to America in order to see it in action. To my mind, no student should graduate from high school in the United States without reading his observations and reflections on the American people, for we desperately need to renew our sense of not only the hope but the challenges of being an American and a commitment to support its survival as a democracy.
De Tocqueville feared individualism and the abolition of the class system that, he believed, gave order and stability to the European nations. He believed that without that order, people would be forever anxious about where they belonged and would end up forever comparing themselves to each other. Forever insecure, their individualism would devolve into selfishness and each would end up alone. We should take a good look at ourselves in light of this fear. Has our insecurity, our need to know where we belong splintered us into rival groups where each gains stature by debunking the other?
However, De Tocqueville also found in the Americans, an equality unknown in Europe and with a deep sense of community and civil order. He found a people committed to building a new world, to resolving together the problems that confronted them. He believed that the multitude of civic organizations would counter the dangers of individualism. The men, he thought, would forever strive to power and acquisition of wealth, but the mores, the “habits of the heart” carried by the women, would provide the civilizing force.
He has a great deal to say about the role of religion in the New World and many other subjects, but this gives a taste of a perspective different enough to shake up the all-to-stale ideologies that have broken us into enemy camps. We have indeed joined civil action groups, but we have, since Trump’s election, discovered the importance of unwritten mores, that undergird our common culture. That gives us the opportunity to regain our sense of belonging to a whole.
His views on the role of women should spark lively conversations on individualism versus commitment for both genders as well as on the effect of the rampant greed of the eighties and nineties. De Tocqueville believed it is the “habits of the heart” that give the Americans strength. We need to rediscover those together.
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