Book Description
Alexis de Tocqueville was one of the greatest political thinkers of all time. 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 nineteenth-century France.
At age twenty-five he travelled to America and encountered democracy for the first time. This firsthand experience contributed to his incisive writing on liberty and democracy. The ancien régime launched the scholarly study of the French Revolution, and Democracy in America remains the best book ever written by a European about the United States. This is a brilliant account of his life.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Biography; 4.5 Stars.......2007-08-09
This very enjoyable book is an excellent study of the very interesting French writer and politician Alexis de Tocqueville. Known best for his analysis of contemporary America, de Tocqueville is a notable figure in the history of political thought and a key source for the history of 19th century America. Brogan's Tocqueville is an essentially conservative figure. The descendent of relatively liberal aristocrats under the Ancien Regime, a number of whom were executed during the Terror, Tocqueville grew up in a legitimist household that detested the Bonapartist state and feared the radicalism that led to the Terror. Tocqueville, however, was too intelligent and preceptive to be a dogmatic Throne and Altar conservative. Following his famous trip to the USA in the early 1830s, he published Democracy in America, a case study in how a liberal society dedicated to political equality, property rights, and respect for law could produce lasting stability. Brogan points out well that Democracy in America, while about American democracy, was inspired by concerns about the role of democracy in France. At the same time, while Democracy affirmed a liberal vision, Brogan is careful to point out that it was a somewhat conservative version of liberalism and that Tocqueville did not really understand important aspects of American democracy. He didn't really understand the role of Congress and appears to have been completely clueless about the crucial role of the party system in providing stability.
Tocqueville's failure to understand crucial aspects of the American democratic system would prove to be hindrance in Tocqueville's political career. Brogan devotes much of the book to a thoughtful description of Tocqueville the politician. More than anything else, his political career shows his essential conservatism. At times, his fear of unrest led him to support distinctly illiberal policies. Like many of his contemporaries, Tocqueville doesn't seem to understand the changes being brought about by the industrialization of Europe and to his last days, he had a fear of urban unrest and the nascent working class.
Brogan shows very well that his last great work, the very interesting Ancien Regime and the French Revolution, should be interpreted in good measure as a critique of the Second Empire. Tocqueville's contemporary preoccupations clearly influenced the themes of his last major work.
Tocqueville is often compared with Montesquieu and this is quite apt. Its clear from Brogan's account that Tocqueville's version of liberalism and democracy was one in the tradition of classical 18th century republicanism. He would definitely have preferred a society with democratic elements but also with institutions that allowed a powerful voice for a principled elite. This vision, shared by people like John Adams and even James Madison in his early constitutional proposals, essentially evaporated in the early years of the American democracy. Tocqueville was pursuing something that had really become anachronistic in his own time.
Brogan writes affectionately but objectively about Tocqueville. This book is written very well with a nice combination of the primary narrative and enough background information to be informative but not over power the narrative.
de Tocqueville from A to Z.......2007-05-31
He seems the unlikeliest person to write an incisive study of American democracy: a rather spoiled son of a French aristocrat of the ancien regime, and one who suffered from a sense of futility in his own life. But the amazing truth is the Alexis de Tocqueville was exactly the best qualified man to do exactly that. Scholarly, intelligent, a precise writer, de Tocqueville was the one to write an immortal study of American life that would become in time a classic. Best of all, he wrote his work not in his study, but after an intense journey through America itself in the early 1830s.
Hugh Brogan's biography is an excellent study of this young author, and probably the very best modern biography. He uses de Tocquevilles' letters and other contemporary writings to illuminate the life and thought of the young aristocrat. And aristocrat he was, his father having stoutly stood by the French crown through its many vicissitudes (and nearly executed by the Jacobins for this). Young Alexis himself clung to the aristocracy until the turbulent days of the July Monarchy, when the Bourbons were unseated by the Orleanists. After this, the young writer lost much of his loyalty to the crown.
Brogan's book is well written, and covers the political scene in France during de Tocqueville's time quite thoroughly. It is simply a book not to be missed about the world of this very talented young man, who proved to be so influential in studies about America and democracy in general.
A Complete Understanding of Tocqueville.......2007-04-11
I have been using Tocqueville's teachings in my college classes for years. However, it has been difficult to piece together exactly how his thought process came together. Brogan has brought this process together so beautifully in this book. Thank you.
The roots of American history.......2007-04-10
Hugh Brogan brings to light on of the most careful and subtle minds ever to ponder the origin and meanings of democracy in American history, the fall of the Ancien Regime, and the the basis for much of what passes for modern political thought.
One of my favorite all-time biographies!!.......2007-03-31
Every line is almost poetic in this beautifully written biography of de Tocqueville. Gorgeous imagery and flowing language--Alexis comes to life as though he lived only 10 years ago rather than many decades ago! Wonderful book!!
Book Description
In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and ambitious civil servant, made a nine-month journey throughout America. The result was Democracy in America, a monumental study of the life and institutions of the evolving nation. Tocqueville looked to the flourishing democratic system in America as a possible model for post-revolutionary France, believing that the egalitarian ideals it enshrined reflected the spirit of the age and even divine will. His insightful work has become one of the most influential political texts ever written on America and an indispensable authority on democracy.
This new edition is the only one that contains all Tocqueville's writings on America, including the rarely-translated Two Weeks in the Wilderness, an account of Tocqueville's travels in Michigan among the Iroquois, and Excursion to Lake Oneida.
Customer Reviews:
Superb analysis of democracy in America and elsewhere.......2007-10-22
As a sat to write this review I randomly opened my copy of Democracy in a page with this quote that I had highlighted: "When the taste for physical gratifications among [democratic people] has grown more rapidly than their education and their experience of free institutions, the time will come when men are carried away and lose all self-restraint at the sight of the new possessions they are about to obtain. In their intense and exclusive anxiety to make a fortune they lose sight of the close connection that exists between the private fortune of each and the prosperity of all. It is not necessary to do violence to such a people in order to strip them of the rights they enjoy; they themselves willingly loosen their hold. The discharge of political duties appears to them to be a troublesome impediment which diverts them from their occupations and business. [...] These people think they are following the principle of self-interest, but the idea they entertain of that principle is a very crude one; and the better to look after what they call their own business, they neglect their chief business, which is to remain their own masters". This is a small sample of what you find in Democracy... It is a superb book, with timeless truths about America and about democracy in general. I read the Everyman's Library edition by Knopf, and utterly enjoyed it: good quality paper, print, translation (based on Francis Bowen's), index. Don't rely on what others tell you about the contents of this marvelous book--dive in with a pencil handy to highlight the many good quotes and enjoy!
If only everyone would read this book . . ........2007-07-15
If you have any doubts about buying this book, stop thinking and buy it. It will take you a while to read it, but it is worth the effort. The first volume is the best half. As it turns out, De Tocqueville was the Nostradamus of democracy and American politics. So much of what this man wrote in the 1830's is still relevant to our modern politicial system. It is small wonder that you see him quoted regularly. After seeing him referred to repeatedly, I felt compelled to read the book for myself. Keep a pencil with you when you read because you will want to mark material that is quoteworthy for you. If you have hesitations about reading something that is a translation, put them aside. The book is easy to read.
Here's just a kernel of what you can find (p.229) "It is a permanent feature of the present day that the most outstanding men in the United States are rarely summoned to public office and one is forced to acknowledge that things have been like that as democracy has gone beyond its previous limits. The race of American statemen has strangely shrunk in size in the last half-century." This man was writing about George Bush 170 years ago! You will also marvel at the tremendous insight he had in extracting his observations by travels and interviews in America. I do this sort of thing for business clients sometimes and I deeply admire the unique talent De Tocqueville displays. If he were still alive, I would shake this man's hand!
You will come away with a keener appreciation of what makes democracy strong and at the same time fragile. You can apply DeT's observations to current world affairs, (esp. Iraq) and understand better why you cannot simply export a system of governance because it is "good." You will recognize that democracy requires a cultural and social foundation interwoven with legal safeguards for things such as private property. If I thought it would help, I would mail my copy to the white house. Maybe the first lady could read it to George at night before bedtime.
You will be dismayed by the current state of American politics after you read this book, but you will be heartened with a belief that democracy works so long as the population participates. You will be energized. I will leave you with this quote from DeT on p. 771: "Only a passion for freedom which has become ingrained can carry the day against a deep-set passion for personal comfort. I can imagine no better preparation for conquest after a defeat than a democratic nation without free institutions." And now, on to the Patriot Act . . .
Not an easy read, but worth the effort.......2007-02-23
I can't say anything new about a book this famous, so I will just give my peronal opinion about why and how to read it. Why: because it is a timeless description of how American democracy works, in both theory and practice. As to how to read it, I have this book sitting next to the Bible on my bedside bookshelf, and I read in the same way. I have been reading Democracy in America in a piecemeal way over several decades, in small installments, with time in between to think and ponder and question what I have just read. It's a book that doesn't give you a straightforward narrative that's easy to follow. Rather, each section has its own character and focuses on one facet of the rough-cut jewel we call democracy. You could read Democracy in America all the way through, but that would be an endurance test, not necessarily a way to understand the wealth of ideas it contains. Some parts of the book are dry and technical, as when de Tocqueville describes township goverment in microscopic detail. He was a serious student of political theory who took those matters very seriously, so he gave his readers all the data they might need in order to form a clear idea of how American intitutions operated. But he was also very good at lively observations of the social scene and the natural wonders he encountered in America. These are the parts of the book that really spring to life and make this book much more than a political science text.
To go back to the Bible/de Tocqueville analogy, Democracy in America is a book in which any reader can find a quotation (or misquotation) to support any point of view. However, it's only by sitting down and actually reading de Tocqueville's words in their proper context that you will understand the real greatness of this book.
Inspiring books.......2007-01-12
I pick up this book just in accident. I would like to gain some knowledge in the democracy here and fortunately I get the right book.
The book in detail explains what was the social situation before America was built. From different aspects, the author told and justified "how and why" on the political/law/administration systems in America.
The author's comments on the regional democracy (in locality) is very true.
Intuitive political observations that read like a travel-log.......2006-10-17
A wonderful study that reminds us of what America was meant to be while entertaining us with insightful, balanced, often prophetic, and provocative observations of our shortcomings. It is a record that reminds us of our better angels and calls us back to the high ideals that made America great. A reminder of a simpler but nobler time like a time-traveller's log of America's seedling ideals of a democratic-republic. Mr. de Tocqueville will help you regain your inner American and restore your faith in what America can be when she is cognizant of her founding principles.
Book Description
In the mid-1800s, a French political scientist named Alexis de Tocqueville came to the United States to appraise the meaning and functioning of democracy. This extraordinary book, written as a result of his visit, contains his comments and criticisms-many of which are still vital in today's world-and is a must-read for anyone interested in American politics.
Customer Reviews:
abridgement should not equate inquisition.......2007-02-06
As a former reviewer has stated this edition takes quite a bit of liberty in excising the less flattering aspects of Tocqueville's views of America. In fact the entire section on race-relations has been excised --perhaps it was deemed too controversial? This kind of editing is even more unacceptable in our age of open communications and hopefully open minds. Find another edition.
Find another edition........2007-01-13
I have three complaints about this edition of Tocqueville:
1) Nowhere in the book is the translator credited. This violates basic principles of publication and scholarship.
2) This is in fact an abridged version of the original English-language translation by Henry Reeve, dating from sometime before 1862. Unless you want to re-create the experience of a modern Frenchman confronted with de Tocqueville's somewhat archaic French by reading the text in somewhat archaic English, I would seek out any of the more recent translations: there are at least three.
3) The ellipses, that is, the abridgements, have sometimes been made to conceal some of the author's less flattering views America. In fact I suspect this is a "patriotic" abridgement. For example, in the second chapter of part one, Heffner has omitted references to some of the excesses of Puritan law in New England which the notoriously even-handed Tocqueville had cited.
Preaching to the Choir.......2006-12-12
Praising this book is a bit like saying Huckleberry Finn was one of the great American novels - it's a profound statement of the obvious. Even so, it must be said: Alexis de Tocqueville's magnum opus is a brilliant sociological analysis of America, with his genius made all the more evident by how applicable his observations about 1830s America are to its twenty-first century counterpart. Everything from the solidity of America's political infrastructure to the disquieting trend toward anti-intellectualism are explored in this massive work, and his gift of analysis is matched only by his gift for prophecy (can you believe that he predicted a conflict between America and Russia before the rise of Communism?). An amazing book, and necessary reading for anyone who wishes to understand America, rather than merely talk about it.
Relevant.......2006-05-18
As an American living in Europe, I read with great interest Alexis de Tocqueville's book about a European experiencing America.
Like most people, Mr. de Tocqueville started out with a characterization of the United States, believing that the country's early 19th century prosperity was a function of its distance from rivals in Europe. But after his famous trip, he concludes that the real difference comes from each side's view of risk taking. It's an insight as relevant today as it was when it was written.
Mr. de Tocqueville predicted that the growing issue of state's rights would lead to bloodshed (it led to the Civil War -- though he wrongly predicted it would eventually lead to a breakup of the union, he was very nearly right on that point as well); he predicts the fledgling country's industrial rise and its emergence as a true world power; he recognized the symbiotic role between industry and democracy at a time when they were believed to be unrelated. His insights into the American psyche, optimism, and ambition at times seem timelier than most op-ed pieces.
More than a century and a half after it was written, I am hard pressed to conjure the name of a better commentary about America and Americans. It is an astonishing feat considering the brevity of Mr. de Tocqueville's four-month visit, his youth (he was in his early 20s), and early stage of development the country was in. But the result is something that shouldn't be skipped by any serious student of the political and social essence of the United States.
Fabulous.......2005-12-28
This edition should be a must read for all.
This edited version seems to contain all the salient thoughts of de Tocqueville for those of us who don't want to get bogged down in a tome. I will not repeat who he was or the subjects covered -- suffice to say if you want to understand some of todays America - what it stands for and how it is goverened this seems to be a great primer on its government and peoples.
The amazing thing to me is how much is still true and how amazingly insightfuld Tocqueville was. He is still widely quoted even today.
Book Description
Alexis de Tocqueville, a young aristocratic French lawyer, came to the United States in 1831 to study its penitentiary systems. His nine-month visit and subsequent reading and reflection resulted in Democracy in America (1835-40), a landmark masterpiece of political observation and analysis. Tocqueville vividly describes the unprecedented social equality he found in America and explores its implications for European society in the emerging modern era. His book provides enduring insight into the political consequences of widespread property ownership, the potential dangers to liberty inherent in majority rule, the importance of civil institutions in an individualistic culture dominated by the pursuit of material self-interest, and the vital role of religion in American life, while prophetically probing the deep differences between the free and slave states. The clear, fluid, and vigorous translation by Arthur Goldhammer is the first to fully capture Tocqueville's achievements both as an accomplished literary stylist and as a profound political thinker.
Customer Reviews:
Classic analysis of American-style democracy.......2007-05-07
It's basically impossible for Americans to investigate American-style democracy without a biased perspective, yet a critical examination of the history of our democratic institutions and processes is so helpful in understanding our rights and obligations to our country. Tocqueville's analysis might be old, and the relative influence of various parts of our government might have changed, but it is still useful in bringing an outsider's perspective on why (mid-nineteenth century) American democracy was the hope and envy of the world.
Tocqueville.......2007-03-08
Surprisingly clear writing of acute observations. An essential book for anyone with an interest in American History.
Essential Reading on Political Philosophy.......2006-09-11
While I was delighted with Tocqueville's masterpiece per se, it's necessary to emphasize that this particular edition is superb. First, the translation is in good, fluid style; second, it is unabridged, which is essential; and third, because it included the notes and map. I have read abridged editions and found them uninteresting because the analytical digressions were cut off. Please don't be daunted by the great length of this edition; I found it a surprisingly fast read.
It's not terribly original to rave about the excellence of Tocqueville's work; even those who disagree with his worldview find his way of expressing it both stimulating and very useful for solidifying their own opinions. Tocqueville, moreover, is very good at using classical methods of dialectical philosophy to explain why one would expect certain conditions to prevail in the United States, given other circumstances that obtain.
Having just read much of the political philosophy of Plato, plus Bertrand Russell's criticism of it, I would say that a commonly-overlooked merit of Tocqueville's work--particularly Book I--is that it serves as a dialectic alternative to the Platonic tradition of political philosophy. Plato used an ingenious approach of leading questions and deductive responses to argue that society required a firm structure with permanent, ergo ultraconservative, institutions. The object was to preserve high-mindedness and public spiritedness, which for Plato and the great majority of Western political philosophers since him, meant a caste society with equality within each class. Both features, plus the absolute devotion to warfare and martial glory (on the part of the guardians) naturally militated against liberty.
Writers since Plato, such as Filmer, applied variants of this political philosophy to more recent societies, usually relaxing Plato's corollary hostility to new technologies: modern technology tended to facilitate state coercion, and experience with egalitarianism amongst classes--as, for example, in revolutionary battlefields--suggested that it was not essential, or even helpful, for suppressing class struggle. Tocqueville's insight was to apply a dialectic of liberty to the experience of democracies in general and the United States in particular (he distinguishes firmly between the two; France after the July [1830] revolution was, for example, more democratic than before, and the like was true for the UK after the 1832 Reform Act). Oddly, he regards the USA as distinguished mainly by the high degree of EQUALITY he saw there, rather than democracy; he regards the latter as having the far more decisive impact on the formation of social mores, and hence, of living conditions.
I said Tocqueville offers a dialectic alternative to Plato's caste-oligarchy. He is dialectic in the sense that he organizes the book in many short chapters, each proposing a question about the peculiar Usonian national character (e.g., why is American patriotism so captious? Why are American attitudes so conformist?). The succession of questions is not truly dialectic, insofar as they are not, strictly speaking, interrelated, as a Platonic dialogue would be; however, Tocqueville does rely on deductive reasoning to explain what he has observed, and, much the way Socrates was supposed to have deduced the immortality of the soul and its survival into the next life, so Tocqueville makes some startlingly accurate predictions about the future of the United States.
Tocqueville's general view of the USA is startlingly favorable, particularly for a European observer; but it includes much criticism, some of it harsh. In particular, he finds conformity of opinions and the tyranny of the majority almost unendurable; slavery he attacks lightly (France still had slavery in 1835, and the UK began phasing out slavery in 1834; abolition was still a sore point amongst the colonial powers), but his prognosis of race relations is extremely bleak. He never includes the words, "America is great, because it is good" (that appears to have originated with either Gerald Ford in March '76 or with Eisenhower, to whom Ford attributed the remark); it's pretty clear that Tocqueville was not prone to such fatuous simplification. He does, however, regard the problems of democracy in the United States as generally easier to mitigate and live with, than the residual problems of autocracy in Europe. He also regards the emergence of democracy as inevitable.
Still relevant 170 years later.......2005-12-11
During this year I have been making my way through the wonderful Democracy in America By Alexis de Tocqueville.
He published the book in 2 volumes ( 1835, 1840 ).
The 1st Volume is the more scholarly of the 2 what with its discussion of history, politics, and more, being butressed with statistics, and quotes galore.
The 2nd volume is the the more philosophical of the 2 as the author delves into all sorts of issues, and subjects related to the society, culture, religion, politics, and more, of America, and is far from shy about expressing not only his philosophy, but his thoughts on the philosophies of the people of the United States.
That brings me to just one aspect of this book that is relevant today:
In the last 25 years religious belief has played a significant role in the shaping of American politics, and the so-called Culture Wars.
I'm not the most religious person around, despite the variety of beliefs practiced by various relatives I've lived around all my life, but that does not mean that I don't find the subject interesting , and learn much from reading books, articles, and Blogs of a religious nature.
In light of recent debates in the media, from the battle over religion on school, and college, campuses, Creationism vs. Evolution in our schools, to the ACLU's war against All Things Christmas, I found a chapter in Volume 2 of particular interest, along with a startling paragraph comparing Islam & Christianity that is very relevant to the America of today, and the last 25 years.
Powerful, thought provoking, writing of a sort rarely surpassed since, and reason enough for thoughtful people, interested in the future of our nation to consider reading this still relevant book.
Astute Observer of America.......2005-09-18
De Tocqueville was simply of one of the great social scientists writing about America and Democracy. From reading the book I deduced that De Tocqueville was a social scientist before Marx! He compares European culture and government with the fledgling culture and democracy he observes in America. He is very much impressed with what he sees taking place in America in the 1830's and hopes it will spread to Europe. He at first believed that America's prosperity was simply due to geography and their distance from powerful neighbors, he abandons this idea after his visit to America. He comes to realize that the West is not being peopled "by new European immigrants to America, but by Americans who he believes have no adversity to taking risks". De Tocqueville comes to see that Americans are the most broadly educated and politically advanced people in the world and one of the reasons for the success of our form of government. He also foretells America's industrial preeminence and strength through the unfettered spread of ideas and human industry.
De Tocqueville also saw the insidious damage that the institution of slavery was causing the country and predicted some 30 years before the Civil War that slavery would probable cause the states to fragment from the union. He also the emergence of stronger states rights over the power of the federal government. He held fast to his belief that the greatest danger to democracy was the trend toward the concentration of power by the federal government. He predicted wrongly that the union would probably break up into 2 or 3 countries because of regional interests and differences. This idea is the only one about America that he gets wrong. Despite some of his misgivings, De Tocqueville, saw that democracy is an "inescapable development" of the modern world. The arguments in the "Federalist Papers" were greater than most people realized. He saw a social revolution coming that continues throughout the world today.
De Tocqueville realizes at the very beginning of the "industrial revolution" how industry, centralization and democracy strengthened each other and moved forward together. I am convinced that De Tocqueville is still the preeminent observer of America but is also the father of social science. A must read for anyone interested in American history, political philosophy or the social sciences.
Customer Reviews:
The French Revolution "sought to increase the power and jurisdiction of the central authority.".......2007-04-23
"What was the true aim of the Revolution? What was its specific character? Why did it take place and what exactly did it achieve?" As Tocqueville addresses these questions herein (without, I should add, detailing the specific events of the actual Revolution---this treatise is not a history of that event) he makes these points: "The aim of the Revolution was not, as once was thought, to destroy the authority of the Church and religious faith in general." (Although Tocqueville does admit that "Christianity was attacked with almost frenzied violence," but he points out that "there was no question of replacing it with another religion," suggesting that religion got caught in the maelstrom against traditional bodies; and that the discrediting of religion which was becoming prevalent during the latter half of the 18th century "had a preponderant influence on the course of the French Revolution," as the people having lost faith in GOD became more inclined to start believing in anything---as Émile Cammaerts has put it; though often mis-attributed to G.K. Chesterton.) "Appearances notwithstanding," according to Tocqueville, the Revolution "was essentially a movement for political and social reform and, as such, did not aim at creating a state of permanent disorder in the conduct of public affairs or (as one of its opponents bitterly remarked) at 'methodizing anarchy.'
On the contrary, it sought to increase the power and jurisdiction of the central authority. (Nor was it intended, as some have thought, to change the whole nature of our traditional civilization, to arrest its progress, or even to make any vital change in the principles basic to the structure of society in the Western world. If we disregard various incidental developments which briefly modified its aspect at different periods and in different lands, and study it as it was essentially, we find that the chief permanent achievement of the French Revolution was the suppression of those political institutions, commonly described as feudal, which for many centuries had held unquestioned sway in most European countries.") "The reason why the principle of centralization of power did not perish in the Revolution is that this very centralization was at once the Revolution's starting-off point and one of its guiding principles." "In the long period of rankling unrest and rising discontent preceding the Revolution all sorts of schemes were worked up for the establishment of a new social order and a new method of government. The ends proposed by the reformers varied greatly, but the means were always the same. They wished to make use of the central power, as it stood, for shattering the whole social structure and rebuilding it on lines that seemed to them desirable.""Firmly convinced of the perfectibility of man, they [the French people]" it appears elevated themselves above God with a "fanatical faith in their vocation---that of transforming the social system, root and branch, and regenerating the whole human race."
Tocqueville further comments in this fine work of informed, and very readable, scholarship that "It is remarkable that of all the ideas and aspirations which led up to the Revolution the concept and desire of political liberty, in the full sense of the term, were the last to emerge, as they were also the first to pass away." Freedom's fundamental basis, after all, had been thoroughly discredited for some time; particularly during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI when "the administration persistently instilled into the minds of Frenchmen...the notion that private ownership need not, indeed, should not, invariably be respected." (See Richard Pipes' learned examination on the intrinsic correlation between these two notions in his work Property and Freedom). As to why liberty was given short shrift Tocqueville leaves us to consider the French mind as represented by none other than the view of Voltaire; who Tocqueville characterizes thusly: "The truth was that he envied the English above all for their freedom to write as they liked, while their political freedom left him indifferent and he quite failed to realize that the former could not have survived for long without the latter." That, in short, was the dilemma of the French Revolution was it not? And what distinguishes it from its American variant, as "...it is no exaggeration to say that a man's admiration of absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for those around him." (07Apr) Cheers
A Classic.......2006-10-02
The French Revolution is among the most important events that shaped world history. A lot has been written about it and Alexis de Tocqueville is among the most interesting and insightful writers on the subject.
The book was first published in 1856, which allowed the author to interact and talk to people who participated or lived through the Revolution. This provides the author with unique insights and information that enabled him to come up with interesting arguments, claims and conclusions. His in-depth analysis of the revolution makes this book a classic which any serious scholar on this significant event needs to read.
Drawing on the works of other authors, Tocqueville came up with unconventional views concerning the Revolution, claiming that it was in fact not a sudden occurence but a gradual social process taking place in France culminating in the revolt and continuing after it. He concluded that the Revolution was due to too much centralisation of political power. Such centralisation of political power could then explain the revolutions of 1831 and 1848 in parts of Europe.
This book is recommended to those interested in in-depth insights into the French Revolution and for history students.
It's Tocqueville. What More Can I Say?.......2006-03-27
A fascinating, thorough, and in-depth analysis of the French Revolution. A must-read for any history student.
Good Book, But Not a History.......2005-10-04
I give this book four stars. It is a fascinating investigation into the political and cultural environment in France that led up to the revolution.
But be forewarned! This book is NOT a history of the revolution. The author makes that very clear right at the beginning, but I think it bears emphasizing. If you aren't already pretty familiar with the history of the revolution you may have trouble at times following what this book is talking about.
Overall, this book is well worth the cover price for anyone with an interest in the French revolution.
Enlightening Work on several Levels.......2005-02-25
Alexis De Tocqueville's work "The Old Regime and the French Revolution" marked the foundation of the prevailing historical argument of the causes of the French Revolution and is by far one of the most interesting and influential works on the subject. This being said de Tocque Ville's argument was certainly influenced by the events in Europe during his lifetime: mainly the increased centralization of political power in Germany and Europe at large and the revolutions of 1831 and 1848. In historiographical terms this book was written relatively soon after the event itself and it is certain that de Tocqueville conversed and interacted with people who were directly involved in the events of the revolution. This is both a bane and a boon to the value of the work since such direct influence would certainly obscure the objectively of hid ideas even though being able to gather data before the "dust has settled" is always advantageous. I certainly believe this book is deserving of five stars and on many levels. It is a great historical record and wonderful example of mid 19th century historiography sociology and political thought.
The idea that political centralization caused the downfall of the old regime in 18th Century France is taken for granted by most historians and political thinks now. While we learn early on that it was because of the excess of the Bourbon dynasty from Louis XIV's wars and building Projects to Louis XVI's Court etc, de Tocqueville blames centralization of power; the foundation of the nation state on the revolution. Thus, all nations by this idea will face revolution and ultimately democracy.
This book is an interesting read and when put into the proper perspective has a lot to offer. I found this book more profound and less idealistic than "Democracy in America". This is a great source and example of 19th century historiography and when read in the proper light offers an interesting and very plausible argument for the cause of the French Revolution. It also provides an interesting analysis of political philosophy thought de Tocqueville categorically discounts most of the famous thinkers in this field. If you have to read this work in part or whole for school do yourself a favor and read it thoroughly. If you are reading it for your own benefit I trust you will do the same. Either way "The Old Regime and the French Revolution" has a lot to offer and is a worthwhile read.
-- Ted Murena
Average customer rating:
- Great Edition of a Great Book
- Observations on American Democracy and Democracy in General
- Old Classic
- A whole course on political science
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Democracy in America
Alexis de Tocqueville
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Book Description
When it was first published last year, Harvey Mansfield and Delba Winthrop's new translation of Democracy in America was lauded in all quarters as the finest and most definitive edition of Tocqueville's classic thus far—complete with the most faithful and readable translation to date, impeccable annotations of unfamiliar references, and a masterful introduction placing the work and its author in the broader contexts of political philosophy and statesmanship. Mansfield and Winthrop's astonishing efforts have not only captured the elegance, subtlety, and profundity of Tocqueville's original, but also give us some sense of how very essential this masterpiece continues to be.
Customer Reviews:
Great Edition of a Great Book.......2007-01-09
This is one of the few real classics on American Politics, the knowledge of which is essential to every politically-active citizen (which, indeed, should be every single one of them). It is so often quoted and referred to, and yet so often out of context, that one really needs to have read it in order to understand whether even modern arguments that touch upon its themes are legitimate. And that's not to speak of the great style with which Tocqueville discusses such the two forms he envisions emerging out of an uncontrolled democracy--the classical tyranny of the majority, and the soft tyranny of the bureaucracy upon an atomized society (the second being also treated by Mill in his On Liberty). For the last factor alone, this book warrants a reading, although, some of its chapters are indeed very dry.
The five stars, however, are owed also in great part to this particular version of the book. The paper, ink, and design are of superb quality, for one. The long introduction goes to great lengths to introduce the reader to Tocqueville as a person, as a writer, and to the greater structure behind the very book (something every single introduction ought to do as well as this one). The index is quite extensive, and I have found just about everything I've sought through it. Most important is the translation that this edition offers--it should by all means be considered the standard one, much as Crawley's for Thucydides' Peloponnesian War. No other book will try harder to explain to you why it uses the word mores, and what it means in the Tocquevillian context.
Observations on American Democracy and Democracy in General.......2007-01-07
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.
Old Classic.......2005-01-01
No doubt this is a classic text, but the unqualified praise heaped on Tocqueville's insights needs to be tempered at least somewhat by the fact that they are based on a nine month visit over a hundred and seventy years ago! America--and the world--have changed over that interval. Those who wish to refashion the country on these old ideals are dreaming of a bygone world! (And we can say good riddance: as some of Tocqueville's more racist comments--especially about Native Americans--ought to suggest.)
But it is a classic in the HISTORY of political thought, and is well worth reading. The newer translation by Goldhammer in the "Library of America" series is far more elegant, however, and his annotations and comments are both more helpful and less idiosyncratic.
A whole course on political science.......2003-11-12
It has been said that this is the best book about the US and the best book about democracy. Having just read it, I can say it is even more. Tocqueville reflects not only on the US or on democracy, but his comparative approach sheds light on the Europe of his times and before, on the nature of aristocracy and the inevitable democratic revolution which was on its way across the civilized world. Tocqueville was a realistic aristocrat, sometimes nostalgic for the "greatness" of yesterday, but bearing no illusions whatsoever about the feasibility of stopping democratic change. So, he sets to find out what is it about democracy that can work, and what its inherent risks are. And he decides to tour the grandest democratic experiment ever attempted by Man: the United States.
What Tocqueville finds is a unique nation. Unlike most other nascent states in history, the English who moved to America found a huge land, practically devoid of people (and in those cases where it was inhabited, they were easily killed), where everybody could be a landowner. This, plus the particular ethics of the Puritans, the glorifiaction of hard work, thrift and virtuosity, provided for a prosperous, practical people (not necessarily tolerant, especially in religious affairs). Far away from kings and emperors, Americans developed a communal democracy. So far so good, Tocquevill really admires the basic qualities of the US.
But this book is not a long eulogy of democracy. Tocqueville admits democracy is the best way to govern a modern society, but that does not mean he thinks it's perfect or endlessly beneficial. Democracy DOES poses risks: among others, the tyranny of the majority, the mediocrity towards which it impels mores; the loneliness of the individual, lost amidst an endless, faceless crowd.
Even for some minor mistaken attempts at prophecy, Tocqueville's prescience adn long-term vision is simply astonishing. He was right about the merits of democracy; he was right about its shortcomings. If he would come to the present-day US, he would probably find much to celebrate (prosperity, technological progress, widespread access to education, health, etc), and much to deplore, precisely the mediocrity of democratic tastes (think music, literature, cinema, art. etc).
Tocqueville's culture and knowledge are impressive, even more so considering how young he was when he travelled in the US. His style is conversational and straightforward, assertive but modest. The reader will find here a whole lot of wisdom and subjects to think about and it is simply one of the best books on politics and society ever written, one that is relevant todat as it was many years ago.
Keep Aware.......2003-01-25
The reader must constantly keep in mind that AT is writing and appealing primarily to French readers and readers in France who are accustomed to different mentalities than the Americans. This is why AT's Democracy in America is, at times, difficult to understand and appreciate for an American reader who is accustomed especially to democracy and nothing else. AT's writing is concise and at times too incisive and oversimplified for the reader who is not of the times and not French. I believe a French reader is more inclined to appreciate DIA than those whose tastes of political society have not been extended outside the sphere of American democracy.
Amazon.com
Alexis de Tocqueville was among the first foreigners to recognize and trumpet the grandness of the American project. His two-volume 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. His startling prescience, as well as the endurance of his political ideas, has firmly established Tocqueville's place in American history; his chronicle of our infancy is a fixture on every American history syllabus. Nearly all of his clairvoyant predictions about American political life, from the influence of Evangelical Christianity to the advent of our "consumer society," have come true—and on the schedule he set.
Yet in his own time, Tocqueville had little evidence for the truth of his ideas. Introspective, sickly, prone to self-doubt, he was an unlikely visionary. Joseph Epstein, America's most versatile essayist, proves an ideal guide to his predecessor. In wry, elegant prose, he engages Tocqueville's intellectual contributions, illuminates the development of his thought, and provides a referendum on his various prophecies. (His record was far from perfect—he thought the federal government would wither away as the states rose in power.) Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy's Guide is an altogether human portrait of the Frenchman who would become an American icon.
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Book Description
Alexis de Tocqueville was among the first foreigners to recognize and trumpet the grandness of the American project. His two-volume 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. His startling prescience, as well as the endurance of his political ideas, has firmly established Tocqueville's place in American history; his chronicle of our infancy is a fixture on every American history syllabus. Nearly all of his clairvoyant predictions about American political life, from the influence of Evangelical Christianity to the advent of our "consumer society," have come true—and on the schedule he set.
Yet in his own time, Tocqueville had little evidence for the truth of his ideas. Introspective, sickly, prone to self-doubt, he was an unlikely visionary. Joseph Epstein, America's most versatile essayist, proves an ideal guide to his predecessor. In wry, elegant prose, he engages Tocqueville's intellectual contributions, illuminates the development of his thought, and provides a referendum on his various prophecies. (His record was far from perfect—he thought the federal government would wither away as the states rose in power.) Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy's Guide is an altogether human portrait of the Frenchman who would become an American icon.
Customer Reviews:
A Solid Brief Biography of Tocqueville.......2007-03-31
Joseph Epstein has written a very useful brief (205 pages) biography of Alexis de Tocqueville, author of "Democracy in America" (1835). This is one of two new Tocqueville biographies--the other being the long-germinating volume by Denis Brogan. The author strikes a very nice balance between covering Tocqueville's life, while also devoting some attention to his major writings. So while there is a discussion of "Democracy in America" it is not as extensive as if the book were a commentary on it alone. Other Tocqueville writing efforts, especially his book on the causes of the French revolution and uncompleted second volume on the actual revolution itself, are discussed as well. But basically, the book is a fast paced review of Tocqueville's life, political career, and relationship to various French governments (including his service for a brief time as foreign minister). Several times the author touches upon Tocqueville's central dilemma--the relationship between democracy, liberty and equality. The discussion of Tocqueville as an aristocrat commenting on democracy and equality is quite interesting. The book has no notes, bibliograpy or index--but does have a brief note at the end regarding the most valuable sources the author found on the topic. The author's writing style is quite pleasant and enjoyable. Quite a lot of info packed into a relatively short book--enough of a taste to let the reader know whether it is worthwhile to invest in one of the longer treatments of Tocqueville's life.
A Man For All Reasons.......2007-02-20
The editors of the Eminent Lives series chose well when they selected Joseph Epstein to write this brief biography of Alexis de Tocqueville. His research and writings about Envy, Snobbery and Friendship have served him in his task of "getting at the quality of mind" of his subject. Tocqueville was an ideal friend, loyal, generous and abiding. Born an aristocrat at the beginning of the inexorable advance of equality, he knew about envy and snobbery from both sides of the fence. While Equality was the "idee mere" from his observations of democracy in America and the revolution in France, his sympathies favored Liberty although he recognized the dynamic tension and irreconcilability between them. He wrote that democracy and equality discourage both brilliance and great crimes while fostering mediocrity and comfort. Liberty allows the means to excel but few benefit and many suffer. A spectrum of political opinions find confirmation in his books. Epstein projects a clean, sharp picture of the man and his ideas. Informed by Tocqueville's works and other biographies, this is not a digest but a distillation enlivened by Epsteinian wit.
To understand 'Democracy in America', start with this book.......2006-12-23
'Democracy in America' was a smash hit in France when first published in 1835, an expression of their intense desire to create a democratic society based on the example of Americans.
Americans still love the Tocqueville idea; it is the strongest proof by a European aristocrat that "democracy" was invented in America. Epstein writes, "Americans didn't have a history to rewrite. Setting out very nearly as a tabula rasa, they charged themselves not with changing an existing society so much as with making an entirely new one."
Alexis de Tocqueville wrote the ultimate 'Do-It-Yourself' guide to freedom, a superb portrait of Americans, their quirks, habits, ideas and attitudes. These are also basic English qualities. In America, far from the daily rule of lords, ladies and other layabouts, this natural decency and innate distrust of authority blossomed into an unparalleled freedom.
Epstein understands Tocqueville wrote an astute portrait of how Americans use democracy. But, it didn't inspire the French to copy and improve upon the American precedent. Tocqueville rejected Montesquieu's idea "that forms of government engender modes of behaviour (monarchy, honour; aristocracy, moderation; republicanism, virtue; despotism, terror). Tocqueville showed that things often work the other way around, with modes of behaviour just as likely to engender forms of government."
In other words, the naturally rebellious English flourished in America and created a decentralized government with constitutionally limited powers (see Amendment X to the US Constitution). American democracy is due to evolution, not immaculate conception. It is still evolving and improving, as seen in the change from Dred Scott to Brown vs. Board of Education.
These books, both Tocqueville and Epstein, are a valuable balance to 'Vice' by Lou Dubose and Jake Bernstein which describes how Vice President Dick Cheney schemed to give the presidency unimpeded power to conduct foreign affairs and declare war on their own whims and falsehoods. Epstein cites Tocqueville's strong opposition to centralized authority that has been a feature of France for at least 1,000 years and is now an obsession of the Bush administration.
Anyone who wants to understand democray in America should read this brief but astute insight into the mind, character and nature of Tocqueville. The nature of the imperial presidency changes, from respect for democracy to worship of power. As Epstein shows so clearly, it is the basic decency of Americans that keeps their democracy alive, well and growing. Democracy is what people make it and what they are comfortable in living with; it is not a gift of government or any other paternalist.
Like a great guidebook to a city or country, Epstein has written a great guide to the genius who came, saw and understood the exceptional nature of Americans. In these times, it is an invaluable resource to understand the current debate between a president who thinks "I'm the decider" and the rights of Americans to make the vital decisions about their lives, well-being and destiny.
Book Description
What does it mean to be an American, and what can America be today?
To answer these questions, celebrated philosopher and journalist Bernard-Henri Lévy spent a year traveling throughout the country in the footsteps of another great Frenchman, Alexis de Tocqueville, whose Democracy in America remains the most influential book ever written about our country.
The result is
American Vertigo, a fascinating, wholly fresh look at a country we sometimes only think we know. From Rikers Island to Chicago mega-churches, from Muslim communities in Detroit to an Amish enclave in Iowa, Lévy investigates issues at the heart of our democracy: the special nature of American patriotism, the coexistence of freedom and religion (including the religion of baseball), the prison system, the “return of ideology” and the health of our political institutions, and much more. He revisits and updates Tocqueville’s most important beliefs, such as the dangers posed by “the tyranny of the majority,” explores what Europe and America have to learn from each other, and interprets what he sees with a novelist’s eye and a philosopher’s depth.
Through powerful interview-based portraits across the spectrum of the American people, from prison guards to clergymen, from Norman Mailer to Barack Obama, from Sharon Stone to Richard Holbrooke, Lévy fills his book with a tapestry of American voices–some wise, some shocking. Both the grandeur and the hellish dimensions of American life are unflinchingly explored. And big themes emerge throughout, from the crucial choices America
faces today to the underlying reality that, unlike the “Old World,” America remains the fulfillment of the world’s desire to worship, earn, and live as one wishes–a place, despite all, where inclusion remains not just an ideal but an actual practice.
At a time when Americans are anxious about how the world perceives them and, indeed, keen to make sense of themselves, a brilliant and sympathetic foreign observer has arrived to help us begin a new conversation about the meaning of America.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Nice surprise........2007-04-16
The book is very well written, concise and not not becoming destructed by theoretical excursions. The fact that philosophy ala BHL is not ex cathedra discurse but field research gives freshness and sharp observations to the reader. Avoiding to polarize between "uncivilized americans" and civilized europeans credits BHL with objectivity and wide spectrum of participation from every day life up to intellectuals, politicians and even Hollywood opinions. Good contribution to bridge the gaps of recent years between USA and Europe away from chronical antiamericanism syndrom
A star French dilletante publishes his little travel notes?.......2007-04-13
For the best review of this one, check the NY Times.
"You meet Sharon Stone and John Kerry and a woman who once weighed 488 pounds and an obese couple carrying rifles, but there's nobody here whom you recognize. In more than 300 pages, nobody tells a joke. Nobody does much work. Nobody sits and eats and enjoys their food. You've lived all your life in America, never attended a megachurch or a brothel, don't own guns, are non-Amish, and it dawns on you that this is a book about the French. There's no reason for it to exist in English, except as evidence that travel need not be broadening and one should be wary of books with Tocqueville in the title."
".... every 10 pages or so, Lévy walks into a wall. About Old Glory, for example. Someone has told him about the rules for proper handling of the flag, and from these (the flag must not be allowed to touch the ground, must be disposed of by burning) he has invented an American flag fetish, a national obsession, a cult of flag worship." MYTimes
As far I can tell, Lévy is a "self-styled" philosopher and a boring writer, except to the French who treat him like a film star. It makes you wonder about the French. I have known some who are fine people; but this man makes me recall the English indictment: "France; a lovely country. Too bad about the people." Too bad their taste in writers isn't as good as their taste in food and fashion!
Good Travel Writing, Heavy Ending.......2007-03-02
This was a treadmill book for me but it probably shouldn't have been, it got pretty heavy at the end. The author is a French philosopher who travelled throughout the United States for several months, loosely following in the steps of fellow Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville. He starts in the East and really covers a lot of ground, going all the way to California, then heading south and ending back up on the east coast.
The first part of the book reads like a politically-savvy travelogue and it's the part I liked best. I liked reading about the country from such a different perspective. Levy is struck by all the kitschy museums he finds on his travels, and he seeks out interesting political figures (Tom Daschle, Russell Means) and places (Savannah, Georgia, New Orleans) to visit and write about.
The end of the book is Levy's philosophical and political analysis of the state of the U.S. as he sees it, and whether he feels anything can be done to change the negative things that are going on here and the negative way the country is being viewed at this time. This was the part I shouldn't have read on the treadmill, a lot of it was pretty deep and over my head. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend the first section of it.
Intellectually Stimulating View of America.......2007-01-25
I just read American Vertigo and am overwhelmed by nostalgia and relief. Why nostalgia? It will be a while before another European writer puts together such an excellent compilation of travel vignettes about America - so well written and so full of substance. Why relief? American Vertigo is not a light read as BHL's writing style is sophisticated, sprinkled with many references, comparisons and examples. Brilliant arguments are presented and defended and the reader needs to stop, think and evaluate before moving on. It is an engaging and intellectually stimulating book, almost too engaging.
One big surprise... The book lacks observations about middle-class America. BHL interviews people from his "milieu" - Francis Fukuyama, Barak Obama, Sharon Stone, etc. and then some representatives of the opposite spectrum - a stripper, a prisoner, a daughter of a coal miner. The "core" of the country, the bulging class of entrepreneurs, professionals and other hard-working Americans is omitted. Maybe he is trying to stay away from clichés and selectively presents only the sensational... Maybe this is what an educated French audience likes to see...
Interesting Critique on U.S. Culture.......2007-01-03
This book is great as an introspective into the American Cultural Landscape. It opened my eyes on things within our culture I never thought about as being unique or different. Bernard has his own opinions on various topics and they are woven throughout the book, but I was pleasantly surprised that his opinions did not take away from the content. If you like reading about our country with a different set of eyes this book is for you. It is an easy read and one you can put down and take up again after a few days since it is written in a journal style format.
Book Description
The complete edition based on the revised and corrected text of the 1961 French edition
Originally penned in the mid-eighteenth century by Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America remains the most penetrating and astute picture of American life, politics, and morals ever written, as relevant today as when it first appeared in print nearly two hundred years ago. This edition, meticulously edited by the distinguished de Tocqueville scholar J. P. Mayer, is widely recognized as the preeminent translation.
Amazon.com
Do the observations on American society that Alexis de Tocqueville made during his famous 1831 tour of the country (specifically that the United States was possessed of a unique "equality of opportunity") still hold true? British journalist David Cohen attempts to answer that question by retracing the Frenchman's route.
Cohen's journey takes him from New York City, through the Rust Belt (specifically Flint, Michigan), the greater Ohio valley, the Deep South, and Washington, D.C., with a side trip to Silicon Valley. Mixing interviews, personal observation, and statistical data, he finds that de Tocqueville's trenchant, generally buoyant opinions of the young republic (based in part on misunderstood assumptions) no longer hold true. The gap between rich and poor is rapidly widening; race and religion have become divisive social factors; lobbyists wield disproportionate influence in government; and for an increasing number of citizens the dream of upward mobility has become an "almost willfully stupid denial of reality."
Cohen covers much ground here very rapidly. His statistics come in flurries. His observations, while ardent, tend toward the obvious; his mini-histories are blurry and conflated, and many of his encounters with various citizens, from stockbrokers to migrant workers, perfunctory. It is not that his conclusions, pessimistic for the most part, are invalid, necessarily, but the evidence upon which he builds his case can seem too often too meager to support them. --H. O'Billovitch
Book Description
Using Democracy in America as his model, acclaimed British and South African journalist David Cohen retraces Alexis de Tocqueville's journey around the country to observe how the balance between the rich and the poor has changed over the past 150 years. Traveling from New York to the Ohio River Valley, the deep South, California, and finally to Washington, D.C., Cohen captures an America where inequality is balanced by unquenchable hope.
Customer Reviews:
fun, easy and thoughtful.......2005-04-27
I stumbled upon this book in a free library-- yes, some are still open-- and found it to be both enlightening and enjoyable. It isn't difficult to read, and if you are an informed person, you probably won't find his excursion into America to be overwhelmingly surprising... I read it last year or so, and if I recall, early on the book, he really captures our inequality well with a lowly paid security guard standing out in the hot sun on Wall Street, paid to protect some of our wealthiest citizens. I'd be really fascinated by any writing Cohen has produced on his native South Africa, a country which presumably offers inequality that could make our own brand appear rather tame. If you read The Nation or Harper's, enjoyed Nickled and Dimed, or Iain Levison's Working Stiff's Manifesto, you'd probably enjoy this book.
Engaging and thought-provoking political journalism.......2004-12-16
'Chasing The Red White And Blue' is a likeable examination of the American dream in an age of inequality and social conflict. The book is written very much as a piece of journalism rather that social science, so it is not to be treated as a report but a human-centred portrait of modern America. I don't agree that its scope is too broad, because it isn't a comprehensive study; it's almost a personal reflection illustrated by encounters with everyday people. Its conclusions are not all pessimistic, and the author has great sympathy for American ideals, but he does question the inequality and consumerist individualism of modern-day America. Whether you agree with this or not, it is thought provoking and never overly didactic.
It almost strikes me as a blend of socio-political theory and travel writing - it is very much a cross-sectional account and it draws the reader in with humour, emotion and a conversational tone. It is a somewhat personal account in which Cohen draws on his own experiences and perspectives as a half-British, half-South African journalist. It does raise important points, though at times it can be selective, obvious or not engage fully with opposing ideas. This actually isn't a massive problem however, for the type of book that it is. It remains interesting and extremely readable.
A must read for all foreigners living in the US.......2004-07-03
Having lived in the US for the last couple of years, and originally from South Africa, I couldnt put into words exactly what I felt was right/wrong with the US. David Cohen expresses it perfectly, and gives a great insight into the mindset of todays Americans. In order to live and adapt in America you have to understand America, and in order to understand America, you need to read this book!
All aboard the American Dream/Nightmare!.......2003-02-17
My alternate review title was "Disparity, but not Despair-ity" but I settled on what you see above. One thing this book says loud and clear is that the once direct relationship between hard work and the American Dream has never been more fragile. Things have changed, and are ever changing!
Cohen's book shows us that for some, the American Dream is alive and well... but for a larger percentage of Americans, the dream has become a nightmare. This work is a real eye-opening 20/20-like expose, and one that reads like a freight train blasting through myth. "Chasing" in the title is an accurate description of the pace.
The premise is brilliant and engaging. Cohen, an award winning British/South African journalist comes to America to retrace the 170-year-old steps of Alexis De Tocqueville, writer of the famous treatise "Democracy In America". The itinerary includes New York City; Flint, Michigan; The Ohio River Valley; The Mississippi Delta; The Deep South; and Washington, D.C.
Cohen diverts from Tocqueville's original journey only by adding California, the new frontier and command center of the information age.
What struck Tocqueville most, back in 1831, was the "equality of conditions" among the Americans then. This, and "self-interest, properly understood" were Tocqueville's greatest impressions and formed the basis of his praise of the American way of life.
Cohen is an expert on Tocqueville and is well-versed in the great man's journals. As he makes his way across America he interviews a diverse sampling (in my opinion, a well sought-out cross-section of the have's and the have-not's) and compares these findings against the fulcrum of equality Tocqueville described.
What does Cohen find?
An ever-widening gap between the have's and the have-nots!
Things have changed. He finds that Tocqueville's work is full of unqualified conclusions and summary statements that do not possibly reflect the general populace of America in the last half century. Beyond being out dated and inaccurate when applied to modern times, it's questionable whether it was even all that accurate at the time it was originally written. By marginalizing his findings on blacks and Indians, Tocqueville trivialized them. By failing to qualify his conclusions he helped to perpetuate an idealized view of America that he never saw.
Tocqueville's findings are further skewed (says Cohen) because the people he interviewed were not a balanced group. Not an unbiased cross-section of "Americans" at the time. They were always successful, professional elite (privileged aristocrats of the time) always male, and always white.
Cohen wants to avoid a similar mistake this time around... and I applaud his riding of buses, to find the pulse of the common man/woman. Every indication seems to point toward a widening gap between the rich and the poor in America, and the author tells the story in an engaging, (humorous where appropriate) way. There is a section where he sends fictitious e-mails to Tocqueville and I just loved this section. The whole book is a gem, and no part lags.
By the way, it is just as NOT anti-American as it is NOT pro-Anything Else... it is just disturbingly truthful. Amazingly, in spite of the facts, it shows that the American spirit is alive and well... as I mentioned above, there is unquestioned disparity, but not despair-ity!
But perhaps the prevailing message of this book can be expressed by the guy right there in Chapter One, the chapter on New York. There was most assuredly a time when any American would have said that a million bucks would be enough to quit working forever. This guy in New York though, he says "Twenty million and I'll walk."
Twenty million!
That's how far we've progressed along the "wealth" continuum... some people honestly feel that they will need twenty million before they quit chasing the red, white and blue!
All aboard!
Tocqueville update.......2002-02-05
Could Tocqueville have forseen what America would be like a hundred and fifty odd years down the line? In a well thought out and painstaking endeavour, David Cohen has literally followed the trail taken by Tocqueville, almost lived the part, and has documented his findings in an exceedingly engaging, objective, and lively fashion. Filled with interviews with local people, perceptive insights into the American way of life as it is today, compared to what Tocqueville found and documented, this book is a delight to read. For those of us, especially non Americans, who have not read Tocqueville himself, this will be an interesting insightful introduction to aspects of early American life together with a factual and rather wry view as to where the capitalist and democratic way has in fact led. And it is not always very pretty. Do the fine developments of the past century and a half outweigh many of the rather dreadful aspects of American life David Cohen has found and so perceptively documented ? Is this what the American dream envisaged? Or is this the decline of the west that we are experiencing?? Well, this is distinctly required reading, so read all about it.
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