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Nalanda Digital Library - Democracy In America - Volume I By Alexis De Tocqueville
 
Chapter Introduction Chapter Introductory Chapter Chapter I: Exterior Form Of  North America Chapter I: Exterior Form Of  North America Chapter II: Origin Of The Anglo-Americans - I Chapter II: Origin Of The Anglo-Americans - II Chapter III: Social Conditions Of The Anglo-Americans Chapter IV: The Principle Of The Sovereignty Of  The People In America Chapter V: Necessity Of  Examining The Condition Of The States - I Chapter V: Necessity Of  Examining The Condition Of The States - II Chapter V: Necessity Of  Examining The 
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA - VOLUME IBy Alexis De Tocqueville
Project Gutenberg File Converted into HTML pages by Nalanda DigitalLibrary under Etext Conversion Project (ECP)
 
Chapter Introduction
Special Introduction By Hon. JohnT. MorganIn the eleven years that separatedthe Declaration of the Independence ofthe United States from the completionof that act in the ordination of ourwritten Constitution, the great mindsof America were bent upon the study ofthe principles of government that wereessential to the preservation of theliberties which had been won at greatcost and with heroic labors andsacrifices. Their studies wereconducted in view of the imperfectionsthat experience had developed in thegovernment of the Confederation, andthey were, therefore, practical andthorough.When the Constitution was thusperfected and established, a new formof government was created, but it wasneither speculative nor experimentalas to the principles on which it wasbased. If they were true principles,as they were, the government foundedupon them was destined to a life and
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Nalanda Digital Library - Democracy In America - Volume I By Alexis De Tocqueville
Condition Of The States - III Chapter VI: Judicial Power In The United States Chapter VII: Political Jurisdiction In The United States Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution - I Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution - II Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution - III Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution - IV Chapter VIII: The Federal Constitution - V Chapter XI: Why The People May Strictly Be Said To Govern In The United States Chapter X: Why The People May Strictly Be Said To Govern In The United States Chapter X: Parties In The United States Chapter XI: Liberty Of The 
an influence that would continue whilethe liberties it was intended topreserve should be valued by the humanfamily. Those liberties had been wrungfrom reluctant monarchs in manycontests, in many countries, and weregrouped into creeds and established inordinances sealed with blood, in manygreat struggles of the people. Theywere not new to the people. They wereconsecrated theories, but nogovernment had been previouslyestablished for the great purpose oftheir preservation and enforcement.That which was experimental in ourplan of government was the questionwhether democratic rule could be soorganized and conducted that it wouldnot degenerate into license and resultin the tyranny of absolutism, withoutsaving to the people the power sooften found necessary of repressing ordestroying their enemy, when he wasfound in the person of a single despot.When, in 1831, Alexis deTocqueville came to study Democracy inAmerica, the trial of nearly a half-century of the working of our systemhad been made, and it had been proved,by many crucial tests, to be agovernment of "liberty regulated bylaw," with such results in thedevelopment of strength, inpopulation, wealth, and military andcommercial power, as no age had everwitnessed.
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Nalanda Digital Library - Democracy In America - Volume I By Alexis De Tocqueville
Press In The United States Chapter XII: Political Associations In The United States Chapter XIII: Government Of  The Democracy In America - I Chapter XIII: Government Of  The Democarcy In America - II Chapter XIII: Government Of  The Democracy In America - III Chapter XIV: Advantages American Society Derive From Democracy - I Chapter XIV: Advantages American Society Derive From Democracy - II Chapter XV: Unlimited Power Of Majority, And Its Consequences - I Chapter XV: Unlimited Power Of Majority, And Its Consequences - II Chapter XVI: Causes Mitigating Tyranny In The 
De Tocqueville had a specialinquiry to prosecute, in his visit toAmerica, in which his generous andfaithful soul and the powers of hisgreat intellect were engaged in thepatriotic effort to secure to thepeople of France the blessings thatDemocracy in America had ordained andestablished throughout nearly theentire Western Hemisphere. He had readthe story of the FrenchRevolution,much of which had been recentlywritten in the blood of men and womenof great distinction who were hisprogenitors; and had witnessed theagitations and terrors of theRestoration and of the SecondRepublic, fruitful in crime andsacrifice, and barren of any good tomankind.He had just witnessed the spreadof republican government through allthe vast continental possessions ofSpain in America, and the loss of hergreat colonies. He had seen that theserevolutions were accomplished almostwithout the shedding of blood, and hewas filled with anxiety to learn thecauses that had placed republicangovernment, in France, in suchcontrast with Democracy in America.De Tocqueville was scarcely thirtyyears old when he began his studies ofDemocracy in America. It was a boldeffort for one who had no specialtraining in government, or in the
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