Democracy in America

by Alexis de Tocqueville · 1835

A French aristocrat's penetrating analysis of American equality, liberty, and its dangers. The classic outsider's study of democracy.

Books mentioned in Democracy in America (19)

• The Federalist by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay: “But this objection will have little weight with those who can properly estimate the mischiefs of that inconstancy and mutability in the laws which form the greatest blemish in the character and genius of our governments." (Federalist, No.”
• Memoirs of Thomas Jefferson by Thomas Jefferson: “See also in Jefferson’s “Memoirs” some curious details concerning the introduction of negroes into Virginia”
• The History and Present State of Virginia by Robert Beverley: “See Beverley’s “History of Virginia.” See also in Jefferson’s “Memoirs” some curious details”
• View of the United States by William Darby: “Thus the area of the State of Massachusetts forms only one-thirtieth part of the area of the four States; and its population is five times smaller than theirs. (See "Darby's View of the United States.")”
• Histoire et description generale de la Nouvelle France by Pierre Francois Xavier de Charlevoix: “See the “Histoire de la Nouvelle France,” by Charlevoix, and the work entitled “Lettres edifiantes.””
• A Political and Civil History of the United States of America by Timothy Pitkin: “See “Pitkin’s History,” vol. i. pp. 11-31.”
• The History of the Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay by Thomas Hutchinson: “See the “History of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay,” by Hutchinson, vol. i. p. 9.”
• The Town Officer by Isaac Goodwin: “their different functions are all detailed in a book called “The Town-Officer,” by Isaac Goodwin, Worcester, 1827”
• The Life of George Washington by John Marshall: “See Marshall’s “Life of Washington,” vol. i. pp. 18-66.”
• Commentaries on American Law by James Kent: “See Constitution, sect. 8; “Federalist,” Nos. 41 and 42; Kent’s “Commentaries,” vol. i. p. 207; Story, pp. 358-382”
• Medical Statistics by Gouverneur Emerson: “(See Emerson’s “Medical Statistics,” p. 28.)”
• Histoire de la Louisiane by Antoine-Simon Le Page du Pratz: “See “Histoire de la Louisiane,” by Lepage Dupratz; Charlevoix, “Histoire de la Nouvelle France””
• The History of the American Indians by James Adair: “Fischer, “Conjecture sur l’Origine des Americains”; Adair, “History of the American Indians.””
• New England's Memorial by Nathaniel Morton: ““New England’s Memorial,” p. 13; Boston, 1826.”
• New Haven Antiquities: “in a sentence pronounced in 1643 (p. 114, “New Haven Antiquities”), by which Margaret Bedford, convicted of loose conduct, was condemned to be whipped”
• Notes on the State of Virginia by Thomas Jefferson: “We learn from President Jefferson’s “Notes upon Virginia,” p. 148, that among the Iroquois”
• Tableau du climat et du sol des Etats-Unis d'Amerique by C.-F. Volney: ““Five years ago,” (says Volney in his “Tableau des Etats-Unis,” p. 370) “in going from Vincennes to Kaskaskia”
• Constitutional Law by Thomas Sergeant: “Sergeant's "Constitutional Law," p. 165.”
• Description of the United States by David Bailie Warden: “Warden’s “Description of the United States.””

Books that mention Democracy in America (1)

• The Tyranny of Merit by Michael J. Sandel: “Dwight D. Eisenhower, who attributed it, mistakenly, to Alexis de Tocqueville, author of the classic work Democracy in America.”