"No better study of a nation’s institutions and culture than

Tocqueville’s Democracy in America has ever been

written by a foreign observer: none perhaps as good."

--The New York Times

From America’s call for a free press to its embrace of the capitalist system, Democrat3, in America--first published in 1835--enlightens. entertains, and endures as a brilliant study of our national government and character.Philosopher John Stuart Mill called it "among the most remarkable productions of our time." Woodrow Wilson wrote that de Tocqueville’s ability to illuminate the actual workings of American democracy was "possibly without rival."

For today’s readers, de Tocqueville’s concern about the effect of majority rule on the rights of individuals remains deeply meaningful. His shrewd observations about the "almost royal prerogatives" of the president and the need for virtue in elected officials are particularly prophetic. His profound insights into the great rewards and responsibilities of democratic government are words every American needs to read,contemplate, and remember.

Introduction: Alexis de Toequeville

by Joseph Epstein

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I

Introductory Chapter

CHAPTER I

Exterior form of North America

CHAPTER II

Origin of the Anglo-Americans, and its importance

in relation to their future condition

. Reasons of certain anomalies which the laws and customs

  of the Anglo-Americans present

CHAPTER III

Social condition of the Anglo-Americans

. The striking characteristic of the social condition of the

  Anglo-Americans is its essential democracy

. Political consequences of the social condition of tho

  Anglo-Americans 

CHAPTER IV

The principle of the sovereignty of the people in America

CHAPTER V

Necessity of examining the condition of the States before

that of the Union at large

. The American system of townships

  and municipal bodies

. Limits of the township

. Authorities of the township in New England

. Existence of the township

. Public spirit of the townships of New England

. The counties of New England.

. Administration in New England

. General remarks on the administration

  of the United States

. Of the State

. Legislative power of the State 

. The executive power of the State 

. Political effects of the system of local administration

  in the United states

CHAPTER VI

Judicial power in the United States, and its influence

on political society

. Other powers granted to American judges

CHAPTERVII

Political jurisdiction in the United States 

CHAPTER VIII

The Federal Constitution

. History of the Federal Constitution

. Summary of the Federal Constitution

. Prerogative of the Federal Government

. Federal powers

. Legislative powers

. A further difference between the Senate and the

  House of Representatives

. The executive power

. Differences between the position of the President of

  the United States and that of a Constitutional

  King of France.

. Accidental causes which may increase the influence

  of the Executive Government

. Why the President of the United States does not require

  the majority of the two Houses in order to carry

  on the Government

. Election of the President

. Mode of election

. Crisis of the election

. Re-election of the President 

. Federal courts

. Means of determining the jurisdiction

  of the Federal courts

. Different cases of jurisdiction

. Procedure of the Federal courts

. High rank of the Supreme Court amongst

  the great powers of State

. In what respects the Federal Constitution is superior

  to that of the States 

. Characteristics which distinguish the Federal Constitution

  of the United States of America from all

  other Federal Constitutions

. Advantages of the Federal system in general,

  and its special utility in America 

. Why the Federal system is not adapted to all peoples,

  and how the Anglo-Americans were enabled to adopt it

CHAPTER IX

Why the people may strictly be said to govern

in the United States

CHAPTER X

Parties in the United States

. Remains of the aristocratic party

  in the United States

CHAPTER XI

Liberty of the press in the United States

CHAPTER XII

Political associations in the United States

CHAPTER XIII

Government of the democracy in America

. Universal suffrage

. Choice of the people, and instinctive preferences

  of the American democracy

. Causes which may partly correct these tendencies

  of the democracy.

. Influence which the American democracy has exercised

  on the laws relating to elections

. Public officers under the control of the democracy

  in America

. Arbitrary power of the magistrates under the rule

  of the American democracy

......