Classic Book Reader
Cover of Democracy in America — Volume 1

Democracy in America — Volume 1

by Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)

  • Free to read
  • 12 hours to read
  • 44 chapters
  • Reading level: College-level

"Democracy in America — Volume 1" by Alexis de Tocqueville is a classic French work published in 1835. After visiting America in 1831 to study prisons, Tocqueville turned his observations into an examination of democracy and equality in early nineteenth-century American society. He analyzes how religion, politics, and economics shaped the nation's egalitarian culture, while questioning the costs of social mobility and restlessness. The work explores democracy as both an American example and a broader revolutionary force transforming the Western world.

Read free now No app, no sign-up. Your place is saved automatically. Or download for your e-reader ↓
  • United States · Politics and government
  • United States · Social conditions
  • Democracy · United States

Read the opening

Book One

Introductory Chapter

Amongst the novel objects that attracted my attention during my stay in the United States, nothing struck me more forcibly than the general equality of conditions. I readily discovered the prodigious influence which this primary fact exercises on the whole course of society, by giving a certain direction to public opinion, and a certain tenor to the laws; by imparting new maxims to the governing powers, and peculiar habits to the governed. I speedily perceived that the influence of this fact extends far beyond the political character and the laws of the country, and that it has no less empire over civil society than over the Government; it creates opinions, engenders sentiments, suggests the ordinary practices of life, and modifies whatever it does not produce. The more I advanced in the study of American society, the more I perceived that the equality of conditions is the fundamental fact from which all others seem to be derived, and the central point at which all my observations constantly terminated.

Keep reading Democracy in America — Volume 1 →

Contents

Show all 44 chapters
  1. Book One
  2. Book One
  3. Chapter I: Exterior Form Of North America
  4. Chapter II: Origin Of The Anglo-Americans — Part I
  5. Chapter II: Origin Of The Anglo-Americans — Part II
  6. Chapter III: Social Conditions Of The Anglo-Americans
  7. Chapter IV: The Principle Of The Sovereignty Of The People In America
  8. Chapter V: Necessity Of Examining The Condition Of The States — Part I
  9. Chapter V: Necessity Of Examining The Condition Of The States — Part II
  10. Chapter V: Necessity Of Examining The Condition Of The States — Part III
  11. Chapter VI: Judicial Power In The United States
  12. Chapter VII: Political Jurisdiction In The United States
  13. Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution — Part I
  14. Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution — Part II
  15. Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution — Part III
  16. Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution — Part IV
  17. Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution — Part V
  18. Chapter IX: Why The People May Strictly Be Said To Govern In The: United
  19. Chapter X: Parties In The United States
  20. Chapter XI: Liberty Of The Press In The United States
  21. Chapter XII: Political Associations In The United States
  22. Chapter XIII: Government Of The Democracy In America — Part I
  23. Chapter XIII: Government Of The Democracy In America — Part II
  24. Chapter XIII: Government Of The Democracy In America — Part III
  25. Chapter XIV: Advantages American Society Derive From Democracy — Part I
  26. Chapter XIV: Advantages American Society Derive From Democracy — Part II
  27. Chapter XV: Unlimited Power Of Majority, And Its Consequences — Part I
  28. Chapter XV: Unlimited Power Of Majority, And Its Consequences — Part II
  29. Chapter XVI: Causes Mitigating Tyranny In The United States — Part I
  30. Chapter XVI: Causes Mitigating Tyranny In The United States — Part II
  31. Chapter XVII: Principal Causes Maintaining The Democratic: Republic — Part I
  32. Chapter XVII: Principal Causes Maintaining The Democratic: Republic — Part II
  33. Chapter XVII: Principal Causes Maintaining The Democratic: Republic — Part III
  34. Chapter XVII: Principal Causes Maintaining The Democratic: Republic — Part IV
  35. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races In The United: States — Part I
  36. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part II
  37. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part III
  38. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part IV
  39. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part V
  40. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part VI
  41. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part VII
  42. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part VIII
  43. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part IX
  44. Chapter XVIII: Future Condition Of Three Races — Part X
  45. Conclusion

Download for your e-reader

Files are provided by Project Gutenberg. On a Kindle, the simplest route is to send the EPUB with Amazon’s Send to Kindle. Downloaded copies don’t sync with your place on Classic Book Reader.

About this edition

This free edition of Democracy in America — Volume 1 by Alexis de Tocqueville comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #815, released 2006-01-21. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: History - American, Sociology, Politics.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

More by Alexis de Tocqueville