Democracy in America

Lore & Background

In later letters, Tocqueville indicated that they used this official business as a pretext to study American society. They also briefly visited Lower Canada and Upper Canada. Tocqueville eventually extrapolated this work into Democracy in America.

Reader's Guide

Tocqueville's work examines the democratic revolution he saw as a 'providential fact' and an 'irresistible revolution,' though some critics note determinism in the book. Based on his correspondences, Marvin Zetterbaum concluded that Tocqueville never accepted democracy as determined or inevitable, but considered equality more just. Tocqueville believed a 'new political science' was needed to instruct democracy and regulate its movements. The book's ambiguous use of 'democracy'—applying it to representative government, universal suffrage, or majority-based governance—has strongly associated the notion of democracy with the American system. Tocqueville's analysis covers Puritan founding, federal constitution, tyranny of the majority, religion, individualism, associations, and the situation of women, identifying the concept of separate spheres. The work's significance lies in its lasting influence on political thought and its role in shaping the democratic image of the United States and other Western countries.

Did You Know?

• Tocqueville and Beaumont used their official prison study as a pretext to study American society.
• Tocqueville believed the Puritans established the U.S. democratic social state of equality.
• He was one of the first social critics to examine the situation of U.S. women and identify separate spheres.
• The book's title strongly associated the notion of democracy with the American system and representative government.