---
product_id: 2737766
title: "Democracy in America"
price: "NZ$65"
currency: NZD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/2737766-democracy-in-america
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# Democracy in America

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Democracy in America [Alexis de Tocqueville, Harvey C. Mansfield, Delba Winthrop] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Democracy in America

Review: The best interpretation of Tocqueville’s seminal writings on American democracy. - I am a Tocqueville fan so this is my third reading and version of “Democracy In America” and by far my favorite. I am still amazed at the relevancy of this Frenchman’s ability in 1838-40 to visit America during Andrew Jackson’s Presidency and see our country so clearly that this work remains as relevant now as it was then,180+ years ago but now projected into our country's future. The difference in this edition is that these two scholars did an extremely solid job of translating Tocqueville’s original meaning into the most readable and understandable format thus far. The footnotes are equally as elucidating. It is nice that the two volumes have been placed together as one book — but clearly indicate where the first one ends the second one begins. This way you are able to move between the two volumes without losing the essence of his commentary. Also, it is easier to catch the two year pause in Tocqueville's writing that he, personally, took to complete them. Nevertheless, this has always been “THE” seminal piece on American Democracy and remains even more so thanks to these talented interpreters. This is the piece worth reading and grappling with it’s pertinence today. To translate Tocqueville's words, "America is great because America is good. America will cease to be great when it is no longer good." These two sentences are the reason these two volumes remain as the singular, most important analysis of America, even today. Debbie Leister Delray Beach, FL
Review: Observations on American Democracy and Democracy in General - I marveled at Alexis de Tocqueville's trenchant insights into what made (makes) American Democracy what it is. Indeed, I think Tocqueville knew more about us than we do (partly a benefit of being a foreigner). But it's not just observations on American Democracy that we get in this indispensable book, but useful analysis between the democratic revolutions and societies in Tocqueville's native France and other countries, and the incessant contrasts the author makes between aristocratic and democratic societies. Tocqueville lived in a time in which the old orders of society (mainly aristocratic) were dissipating and hence his careful examination of the promises and problems that democracies posed for this country and others for his day and for the future. I can't possibly begin to touch on every issue Tocqueville discusses in this book, but I'll try to mention a few. For Tocqueville, America offered a unique opportunity for democracy to grow and flourish. He discusses the advantages of geographic location, the Puritan settlers in New England, the townships that developed, the formation of the states and the eventual Union formally established by the U.S. Constitution written in 1787. In addition to the external factors that evinced a democratic society, he gave careful attention to the interests, beliefs, habits and mores that united Americans North and South, East and West (though there were some obvious economic and social differences between these geographic segments). America did not possess a ruling class, and Tocqueville discusses what he called the equality of conditions that he saw in this county. Americans believed they were equal to each other, especially in regards to their ability to obtain wealth and prosperity. The people also viewed themselves as sovereign; they had representative leaders, but ultimately those leaders were and remain accountable to the people. Tocqueville is not hesitant to point out some bad sides to democracy, or at least potentially bad tendencies that could develop. Such topics as the tyranny of the majority, individual impotence in the face of democracy's dependence on the force of the public as a single body, lack of greater intellectual pursuits and accomplishments (though he admits this is a result of our busy lives and our desire to find quick answers and solutions). He seems to be most disappointed with the mediocrity that he sees as resulting when all things seem equal. The dangers of tyranny and despotism also linger. Tocqueville saw signs of potential future conflict, especially considering the presence of slavery. He envisioned a war between the races as very possible. He also discussed the effects of white settlement and their interaction with the Native Americans as well. His judgement seemed to be that the Native Americans were doomed once the white settlers arrived and started moving west. In addition to conflicts among people, he saw the growing concentration of power as almost inevitable. Our history has especially proven the growth of our national government. And there are so many other observations Tocqueville discusses on the future of democracy not only in this country, but for any democratic society. He had his fears and hopes. There are so many things I'm leaving out, but I was truly impressed with this man's astute observations on our form of government and our society in general and what some of the positive and negative sides to democracy were (and are). There are topics touched on that will cause you to immediately grasp how applicable they are to life today. A must read.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #21,409 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #7 in General Elections & Political Process #18 in Democracy (Books) #46 in History & Theory of Politics |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (738) |
| Dimensions  | 8.9 x 6 x 1.8 inches |
| Edition  | 1st |
| ISBN-10  | 0226805360 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0226805368 |
| Item Weight  | 2.3 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 722 pages |
| Publication date  | April 1, 2002 |
| Publisher  | University of Chicago Press |

## Images

![Democracy in America - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61pdf+ObaRL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best interpretation of Tocqueville’s seminal writings on American democracy.
*by D***R on June 15, 2020*

I am a Tocqueville fan so this is my third reading and version of “Democracy In America” and by far my favorite. I am still amazed at the relevancy of this Frenchman’s ability in 1838-40 to visit America during Andrew Jackson’s Presidency and see our country so clearly that this work remains as relevant now as it was then,180+ years ago but now projected into our country's future. The difference in this edition is that these two scholars did an extremely solid job of translating Tocqueville’s original meaning into the most readable and understandable format thus far. The footnotes are equally as elucidating. It is nice that the two volumes have been placed together as one book — but clearly indicate where the first one ends the second one begins. This way you are able to move between the two volumes without losing the essence of his commentary. Also, it is easier to catch the two year pause in Tocqueville's writing that he, personally, took to complete them. Nevertheless, this has always been “THE” seminal piece on American Democracy and remains even more so thanks to these talented interpreters. This is the piece worth reading and grappling with it’s pertinence today. To translate Tocqueville's words, "America is great because America is good. America will cease to be great when it is no longer good." These two sentences are the reason these two volumes remain as the singular, most important analysis of America, even today. Debbie Leister Delray Beach, FL

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Observations on American Democracy and Democracy in General
*by D***Y on January 7, 2007*

I marveled at Alexis de Tocqueville's trenchant insights into what made (makes) American Democracy what it is. Indeed, I think Tocqueville knew more about us than we do (partly a benefit of being a foreigner). But it's not just observations on American Democracy that we get in this indispensable book, but useful analysis between the democratic revolutions and societies in Tocqueville's native France and other countries, and the incessant contrasts the author makes between aristocratic and democratic societies. Tocqueville lived in a time in which the old orders of society (mainly aristocratic) were dissipating and hence his careful examination of the promises and problems that democracies posed for this country and others for his day and for the future. I can't possibly begin to touch on every issue Tocqueville discusses in this book, but I'll try to mention a few. For Tocqueville, America offered a unique opportunity for democracy to grow and flourish. He discusses the advantages of geographic location, the Puritan settlers in New England, the townships that developed, the formation of the states and the eventual Union formally established by the U.S. Constitution written in 1787. In addition to the external factors that evinced a democratic society, he gave careful attention to the interests, beliefs, habits and mores that united Americans North and South, East and West (though there were some obvious economic and social differences between these geographic segments). America did not possess a ruling class, and Tocqueville discusses what he called the equality of conditions that he saw in this county. Americans believed they were equal to each other, especially in regards to their ability to obtain wealth and prosperity. The people also viewed themselves as sovereign; they had representative leaders, but ultimately those leaders were and remain accountable to the people. Tocqueville is not hesitant to point out some bad sides to democracy, or at least potentially bad tendencies that could develop. Such topics as the tyranny of the majority, individual impotence in the face of democracy's dependence on the force of the public as a single body, lack of greater intellectual pursuits and accomplishments (though he admits this is a result of our busy lives and our desire to find quick answers and solutions). He seems to be most disappointed with the mediocrity that he sees as resulting when all things seem equal. The dangers of tyranny and despotism also linger. Tocqueville saw signs of potential future conflict, especially considering the presence of slavery. He envisioned a war between the races as very possible. He also discussed the effects of white settlement and their interaction with the Native Americans as well. His judgement seemed to be that the Native Americans were doomed once the white settlers arrived and started moving west. In addition to conflicts among people, he saw the growing concentration of power as almost inevitable. Our history has especially proven the growth of our national government. And there are so many other observations Tocqueville discusses on the future of democracy not only in this country, but for any democratic society. He had his fears and hopes. There are so many things I'm leaving out, but I was truly impressed with this man's astute observations on our form of government and our society in general and what some of the positive and negative sides to democracy were (and are). There are topics touched on that will cause you to immediately grasp how applicable they are to life today. A must read.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Deep wisdom and honest awareness of human nature
*by B***M on August 20, 2025*

Wow. This is dense intellectually like a Donald Knuth textbook, but it's important to exercise our "brain muscles" to gather an appreciation for the timelessness of core socioeconomic factions, their tendencies, and the preventative steps that must be vigilantly and energetically maintained to retain a just, functional, and productive society.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Democracy in America
- The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)
- American Government

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*Last updated: 2026-04-23*