Abridged,with an Introduction
by Patrick Renshaw
Democracy in America is a classic of political philosophy. Hailed by
John Stuart Mill and Horace Greely as the finest book ever written
on the nature of democracy, it continuues to be an influential text
on both sides of the Atlantic, above all in the emerging democracies
of Eastern Europe.
De Tocqueville examines the structures, institutions and operation
of democracyt, and shows how Europe can learn from American successs
and failures. His central theme is the advancement of the rule of the
people, but he also predicts that slavery will bring about the 'most
horrible of civil wars', foresees that the USA and Russia will be the
Superpowers of the twentieth century, and is 150 years ahead of his
time in his views on the position and importance of women.