Until now I had only encountered de Tocqueville on the forensic examiner's table, so to speak - excerpts culled form the whole body and examined in isolation, inserted into op-ed pieces which were taken out of context to justify a political viewpoint while providing a semblance of historical authority.
Having read the entire first section, I am now able to discern the genius of de Toqueville at picking up on the features and contradictions in the American "model"; now I understand why he is so often quoted by libertarians, neo-cons and socialists - and everybody in between - to justify their point of view. But the whole work is much greater than the individual parts.
Bevan has achieved a discreet and very approachable translation.Get more detail about Democracy In America Book One.
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