Democracy in America Abridged with an

This new edition ofDemocracy in Americamakes Tocqueville's classic nineteenth-century study of American politics, society, and culture available finally! in a brief and accessible version. Designed for instructors who are eager to teach the work but reluctant to assign all 700 plus pages, Kammen's careful abridgment features the most well-known chapters that by scholarly consensus are most representative of Tocqueville's thinking on a wide variety of issues. A comprehensive introduction provides historical and intellectual background, traces the author's journey in America, helps students unpack the meaning behind key Tocquevillian concepts like "individualism," "equality," and "tyranny of the majority," and discusses the work's reception and legacy. Newly translated, this edition offers instructors a convenient and affordable option for exploring this essential work with their students. Useful pedagogic features include a chronology, questions for consideration, a selected bibliography, illustrations, and an index.

Michael Kammen (Ph.D., Harvard University) is the Newton C. Farr Professor of American History and Culture at Cornell University, where he has taught since 1965. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and served in 1995-96 as President of the Organization of American Historians. His books include People of Paradox: An Inquiry Concerning the Origins of American Civilization (1972), awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History; A Machine That Would Go of Itself: The Constitution in American Culture (1986), awarded the Francis Parkman Prize and the Henry Adams Prize; Mystic Chords of Memory: The Transformation of Tradition in American Culture (1991); and Visual Shock: A History of Art Controversies in American Culture (2006).

Foreword
Preface
A Note about the Text and Translation
List of Illustrations
PART ONE
Introduction: Tocqueville and His Tour de Force
Tocqueville’s Life and Character

The Journey in America

Content and Key Themes of the Work

How Democracy in America Was Received

The Relevance and Legacy of Democracy in America

PART TWO

Democracy in America
Volume I

Author’s Introduction

Part I

America’s Founding and Its Importance for the Future of Anglo-Americans
Anglo-American Social Conditions
The Principle of the sovereignty of the People in America
The Need to Examine What Happens in Individual States Before Discussing the Government of the Whole
Part II
Why It Is Accurate To Say That In The United States, The People Govern
The Real Advantages Derived By American Society From Democratic Government
The Omnipotence of the Majority in the United States and Its Consequences
What tempers the Tyranny of the Majority
The Principal Causes Tending to Preserve a Democratic Republic in the United States
A Few Remarks on Present and Probable Future Conditions of the Three Races Living Within the United States
Volume II
Preface
Part I: The Influence of Democracy Upon the Intellectual Development of the United States
The Principal Source of Beliefs Among Democratic Countries
The Spirit in which Americans Cultivate the Arts
Literary Production
Certain Characteristics of Historians in Democratic Centuries
Part II: Influence of Democracy on the Opinions of Americans
Individualism in Democratic Society
Individualism is Greater Following a Democratic Revolution Than In Any Other Period
Americans Minimize Individualism with Free Institutions
The Role of Voluntary Associations in America
The Relationship Between Associations and Newspapers
Connections Between Voluntary and Political Associations
Americans Overcome Individualism Through the Doctrine of Self-Interest Well Understood
The Taste for Material Comfort in America
Why Americans Appear So Restless Amidst Their Prosperity
How Americans’ Love of Material Comfort Combines with the Love of Liberty and a Concern for Public Affairs
How Aristocracy May Result from Industry
Part III: Influence of Democracy on Customs as Such
Education of Girls in the United States
The Young Woman as Wife
How Social Equality Helps Maintain Moral Behavior in America
What Americans Mean by Equality of Men and Women
American Society Appears Both Restless and Monotonous
Why Great Revolutions Will Become Rare
Part IV: The Influence Exercised by Democratic Ideas and Attitudes on Politics
Equality Naturally Leads to A Desire For Free Institutions
The Type of Despotism Democratic Nations Have to Fear
An Overview of the Subject

APPENDIXES

A Tocqueville Chronology (1805-1859)

Questions for Consideration

Selected Bibliography

Index

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

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Democracy in America Abridged with an Introduction by Michael Kammen

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials