A review by jvanwago
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Amazingly insightful about modern culture regarding many things. Never have I highlighted a book so much. Even so, Alexis was not a prophet and got things wrong. For example, he thought that America was unlikely to produce any great intellectuals, geniuses, or creatives. Thankfully we have proved him wrong.
On the other hand, Democracy in America prognosticates well on the subject of modern illiberalism and the tendency to continuously strengthen the federal government (to ostensibly increase equality at the expense of our rights).
De Tocqueville trades a bit too much in generalizations, especially in the second volume. He frequently states that Americans (uniformly) believe “X” while aristocratic nations believe “Y”. That said, this book was written nearly 200 years ago, long before modern analytical methods were devised.
Overall it was a groundbreaking work that is still largely relevant today.
On the other hand, Democracy in America prognosticates well on the subject of modern illiberalism and the tendency to continuously strengthen the federal government (to ostensibly increase equality at the expense of our rights).
De Tocqueville trades a bit too much in generalizations, especially in the second volume. He frequently states that Americans (uniformly) believe “X” while aristocratic nations believe “Y”. That said, this book was written nearly 200 years ago, long before modern analytical methods were devised.
Overall it was a groundbreaking work that is still largely relevant today.