DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA

535 Pages·2009·2.62 MB·English

Alexis de Tocqueville
DE MOC R AC Y
I N A M E R I C A
Historical-Critical Edition of
De la d´emocratie en Am´erique
s4s4s4s4s4
Edited by Eduardo Nolla
Translated from the French by James T. Schleifer
a bilingual french-english edition
volume 4
Indianapolis
ThisbookispublishedbyLibertyFund,Inc.,afoundationestablishedto
encouragestudyoftheidealofasocietyoffreeandresponsibleindividuals.
Thecuneiforminscriptionthatservesasourlogoandasthedesignmotif
forourendpapersistheearliest-knownwrittenappearanceoftheword
“freedom”(amagi),or“liberty.”Itistakenfromaclaydocumentwritten
about2300b.c.intheSumeriancity-stateof Lagash.
Englishtranslation,translator’snote,index,(cid:2)2010byLibertyFund,Inc.
TheFrenchtextonwhichthistranslationisbasedisDelad´emocratieen
Am´erique,premie`ree´ditionhistorico-critiquerevueetaugmente´e.Editedby
EduardoNolla.LibrairiePhilosophiqueJ.Vrin;6,PlacedelaSorbonne;Paris,1990.
Frencheditionreprintedbypermission.
Allrightsreserved
PrintedintheUnitedStatesof America
14 13 12 11 10 c 5 4 3 2 1
14 13 12 11 10 p 5 4 3 2 1
ClothISBNs PaperbackISBNs
(Set) 978-0-86597-719-8 978-0-86597-724-2
(Vol.1) 978-0-86597-720-4 978-0-86597-725-9
(Vol.2) 978-0-86597-721-1 978-0-86597-726-6
(Vol.3) 978-0-86597-722-8 978-0-86597-727-3
(Vol.4) 978-0-86597-723-5 978-0-86597-728-0
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Tocqueville,Alexisde,1805–1859.
[Delade´mocratieenAme´rique.English&French]
DemocracyinAmerica:historical-criticaleditionofDelade´mocratieenAme´rique/Alexis
deTocqueville;editedbyEduardoNolla;translatedfromtheFrenchbyJamesT.Schleifer.
p. cm.
“AbilingualFrench-Englishedition.”
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
isbn978-0-86597-719-8(hc:alk.paper) isbn978-0-86597-720-4(hc:alk.paper)
isbn978-0-86597-721-1(hc:alk.paper) isbn978-0-86597-722-8(hc:alk.paper)
isbn978-0-86597-723-5(hc:alk.paper) isbn978-0-86597-724-2(pbk.:alk.paper)
isbn978-0-86597-725-9(pbk.:alk.paper) isbn978-0-86597-726-6(pbk.:alk.paper)
isbn978-0-86597-727-3(pbk.:alk.paper) isbn978-0-86597-728-0(pbk.:alk.paper)
1. UnitedStates—Politicsandgovernment. 2. UnitedStates—Socialconditions.
3. Democracy—UnitedStates. I. Nolla,Eduardo. II. Schleifer,JamesT.,1942–
III. Title.
jk216.t7132009
320.973—dc22 2008042684
liberty fund, inc.
8335AllisonPointeTrail,Suite300
Indianapolis,Indiana46250-1684
Contents
Translator’sNote xxi
KeyTerms xxvi
Foreword xxviii
Listof Illustrations xlv
Editor’sIntroduction xlvii
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
(1835)
volume i
Introduction 3
PartI
chapter 1: ExteriorConfigurationof NorthAmerica 33
chapter 2: Of thePointof DepartureandItsImportancefor
theFutureof theAnglo-Americans 45
ReasonsforSomeSingularitiesThattheLawsandCustomsof the
Anglo-AmericansPresent 71
chapter 3: SocialStateof theAnglo-Americans 74
ThattheSalientPointof theSocialStateof theAnglo-AmericansIsto
BeEssentiallyDemocratic 75
viii
contents ix
PoliticalConsequencesof theSocialStateof theAnglo-Americans 89
chapter 4: Of thePrincipleof theSovereigntyof thePeople
inAmerica 91
chapter 5: Necessityof StudyingWhatHappensinthe
IndividualStatesbeforeSpeakingabouttheGovernmentof
theUnion 98
Of theTownSysteminAmerica 99
TownDistrict 103
TownPowersinNewEngland 104
Of TownLife 108
Of TownSpiritinNewEngland 110
Of theCountyinNewEngland 114
Of AdministrationinNewEngland 115
GeneralIdeasonAdministrationintheUnitedStates 129
Of theState 135
LegislativePowerof theState 136
Of theExecutivePowerof theState 139
Of thePoliticalEffectsof AdministrativeDecentralizationinthe
UnitedStates 142
chapter 6: Of theJudicialPowerintheUnitedStatesandIts
ActiononPoliticalSociety 167
OtherPowersGrantedtoAmericanJudges 176
chapter 7: Of PoliticalJurisdictionintheUnitedStates 179
chapter 8: Of theFederalConstitution 186
HistoricalBackgroundof theFederalConstitution 186
SummaryPictureof theFederalConstitution 191
Attributionsof theFederalGovernment 193
FederalPowers 195
LegislativePowers 196
[DifferencebetweentheConstitutionof theSenateandThatof the
Houseof Representatives]
contents x
AnotherDifferencebetweentheSenateandtheHouseof Representatives 200
Of ExecutivePower 201
HowthePositionof thePresidentof theUnitedStatesDiffersfromThat
of aConstitutionalKinginFrance 204
AccidentalCausesThatCanIncreasetheInfluenceof theExecutivePower 209
WhythePresidentof theUnitedStates,toLeadPublicAffairs,
DoesNotNeedtoHaveaMajorityintheChambers 210
Of theElectionof thePresident 211
Modeof Election 218
ElectionCrisis 222
Of theRe-electionof thePresident 225
Of theFederalCourts 229
Wayof DeterminingtheJurisdictionof theFederalCourts 234
DifferentCasesof Jurisdiction 236
TheFederalCourts’Wayof Proceeding 241
ElevatedRankThattheSupremeCourtOccupiesamongtheGreatPowers
of theState 244
HowtheFederalConstitutionIsSuperiortotheStateConstitutions 246
WhatDistinguishestheFederalConstitutionof theUnitedStatesof
AmericafromAllOtherFederalConstitutions 251
Of theAdvantagesof theFederalSysteminGeneral,andof ItsSpecial
UtilityforAmerica 255
WhatKeepstheFederalSystemfromBeingwithintheReachof All
Peoples;AndWhatHasAllowedtheAnglo-AmericanstoAdoptIt 263
volume ii
PartII
chapter 1: HowItCanBeStrictlySaidThatintheUnited
StatesItIsthePeopleWhoGovern 278
chapter 2: Of PartiesintheUnitedStates 279
Of theRemnantsof theAristocraticPartyintheUnitedStates 287
contents xi
chapter 3: Of Freedomof thePressintheUnitedStates 289
ThattheOpinionsEstablishedundertheDominionof Freedomof the
PressintheUnitedStatesAreOftenMoreTenaciousthanThoseThat
AreFoundElsewhereundertheDominionof Censorship 298
chapter 4: Of PoliticalAssociationintheUnitedStates 302
DifferentWaysinWhichtheRightof AssociationIsUnderstoodin
EuropeandintheUnitedStates,andtheDifferentUseThatIsMade
of ThatRight 309
chapter 5: Of theGovernmentof DemocracyinAmerica 313
Of UniversalSuffrage 313
Of theChoicesof thePeopleandof theInstinctsof American
DemocracyinItsChoices 314
Of theCausesThatCanPartiallyCorrectTheseDemocraticInstincts 318
InfluenceThatAmericanDemocracyHasExercisedonElectoralLaws 322
Of PublicOfficialsundertheDominionof AmericanDemocracy 324
Of theArbitrarinessof MagistratesundertheDominionof
AmericanDemocracy 327
AdministrativeInstabilityintheUnitedStates 331
Of PublicExpensesundertheDominionof AmericanDemocracy 333
Of theInstinctsof AmericanDemocracyinDeterminingtheSalary
of Officials 340
Difficultyof DiscerningtheCausesThatLeadtheAmericanGovernment
toEconomy 343
[Influenceof theGovernmentof DemocracyontheTaxBaseandonthe
Useof theTaxRevenues] 345
[Influenceof DemocraticGovernmentontheUseof TaxRevenues] 346
CanthePublicExpendituresof theUnitedStatesBeComparedwith
Thoseof France 349
Of theCorruptionandVicesof ThoseWhoGoverninDemocracy;
Of theEffectsonPublicMoralityThatResultfromThatCorruption
andThoseVices 356
Of WhatEffortsDemocracyIsCapable 360
Of thePowerThatAmericanDemocracyGenerallyExercisesoverItself 364
contents xii
Of theMannerinWhichAmericanDemocracyConductstheForeign
Affairsof theState 366
chapter 6: WhatAretheRealAdvantagesThatAmerican
SocietyGainsfromtheGovernmentof Democracy? 375
Of theGeneralTendencyof LawsundertheDominionof American
Democracy,andOf theInstinctof ThoseWhoApplyThem 377
Of PublicSpiritintheUnitedStates 384
Of theIdeaof RightsintheUnitedStates 389
Of theRespectfortheLawintheUnitedStates 393
ActivityThatReignsinAllPartsof thePoliticalBodyintheUnited
States;InfluenceThatItExercisesonSociety 395
chapter 7: Of theOmnipotenceof theMajorityintheUnited
StatesandItsEffects 402
HowtheOmnipotenceof theMajorityinAmericaIncreasesthe
LegislativeandAdministrativeInstabilityThatIsNaturaltoDemocracies 407
Tyrannyof theMajority 410
Effectsof theOmnipotenceof theMajorityontheArbitrarinessof
AmericanPublicOfficials 415
Of thePowerExercisedbytheMajorityinAmericaoverThought 416
Effectof Tyrannyof theMajorityontheNationalCharacterof the
Americans;Of theCourtierSpiritintheUnitedStates 420
ThattheGreatestDangertotheAmericanRepublicsComesfromthe
Omnipotenceof theMajority 424
chapter 8: Of WhatTempersTyrannyof theMajorityinthe
UnitedStates 427
Absenceof AdministrativeCentralization 427
Of theSpiritof theJuristintheUnitedStates,andHowItServesas
CounterweighttoDemocracy 430
Of theJuryintheUnitedStatesConsideredasaPoliticalInstitution 442
chapter 9: Of thePrincipalCausesThatTendtoMaintainthe
DemocraticRepublicintheUnitedStates 451
Of theAccidentalorProvidentialCausesThatContributetoMaintaining
theDemocraticRepublicintheUnitedStates 452
contents xiii
Of theInfluenceof LawsonMaintainingtheDemocraticRepublicinthe
UnitedStates 465
Of theInfluenceof MoresonMaintainingtheDemocraticRepublicin
theUnitedStates 466
Of ReligionConsideredasaPoliticalInstitution,HowItServes
PowerfullytoMaintaintheDemocraticRepublicamongtheAmericans 467
IndirectInfluenceExercisedbyReligiousBeliefsonPoliticalSocietyinthe
UnitedStates 472
Of thePrincipalCausesThatMakeReligionPowerfulinAmerica 478
HowtheEnlightenment,Habits,andPracticalExperienceof the
AmericansContributetotheSuccessof DemocraticInstitutions 488
ThatLawsServeMoretoMaintaintheDemocraticRepublicinthe
UnitedStatesthanPhysicalCauses,andMoresMorethanLaws 494
WouldLawsandMoresBeSufficienttoMaintainDemocraticInstitutions
ElsewherethaninAmerica? 500
Importanceof WhatPrecedesinRelationtoEurope 505
chapter 10: SomeConsiderationsonthePresentStateand
ProbableFutureof theThreeRacesThatInhabittheTerritoryof
theUnitedStates 515
PresentStateandProbableFutureof theIndianTribesThatInhabitthe
TerritoryPossessedbytheUnion 522
PositionThattheBlackRaceOccupiesintheUnitedStates;Dangersto
WhichItsPresenceExposestheWhites 548
WhatAretheChancesfortheAmericanUniontoLast?WhatDangers
ThreatenIt? 582
Of RepublicanInstitutionsintheUnitedStates,WhatAreTheirChances
of Lasting? 627
SomeConsiderationsontheCausesof theCommercialGreatnessof the
UnitedStates 637
Conclusion 649
Notes 658
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
(1840)
volume iii
PartI:Influenceof Democracyonthe
IntellectualMovementintheUnitedStates
chapter 1: Of thePhilosophicalMethodof theAmericans 697
chapter 2: Of thePrincipalSourceof Beliefsamong
DemocraticPeoples 711
chapter 3: WhytheAmericansShowMoreAptitudeandTaste
forGeneralIdeasthanTheirFatherstheEnglish 726
chapter 4: WhytheAmericansHaveNeverBeenasPassionate
astheFrenchaboutGeneralIdeasinPoliticalMatters 737
chapter 5: How,intheUnitedStates,ReligionKnowsHowto
MakeUseof DemocraticInstincts 742
chapter 6: Of theProgressof CatholicismintheUnitedStates 754
chapter 7: WhatMakestheMindsof DemocraticPeoples
InclinetowardPantheism 757
chapter 8: HowEqualitySuggeststotheAmericanstheIdeaof
theIndefinitePerfectibilityof Man 759
chapter 9: HowtheExampleof theAmericansDoesNotProve
ThataDemocraticPeopleCannotHaveAptitudeandTasteforthe
Sciences,Literature,andtheArts 763
chapter 10: WhytheAmericansAreMoreAttachedtothe
Applicationof theSciencesthantotheTheory 775
chapter 11: InWhatSpirittheAmericansCultivatetheArts 788
chapter 12: WhyAmericansErectSuchSmallandSuchLarge
MonumentsattheSameTime 796
xiv
contents xv
chapter 13: LiteraryPhysiognomyof DemocraticCenturies 800
chapter 14: Of theLiteraryIndustry 813
chapter 15: WhytheStudyof GreekandLatinLiteratureIs
ParticularlyUsefulinDemocraticSocieties 815
chapter 16: HowAmericanDemocracyHasModifiedthe
EnglishLanguage 818
chapter 17: Of SomeSourcesof Poetryamong
DemocraticNations 830
chapter 18: WhyAmericanWritersandOratorsAre
OftenBombastic 843
chapter 19: SomeObservationsontheTheaterof
DemocraticPeoples 845
chapter 20: Of SomeTendenciesParticulartoHistoriansin
DemocraticCenturies 853
chapter 21: Of ParliamentaryEloquenceintheUnitedStates 861
PartII:Influenceof Democracyonthe
Sentimentsof theAmericans
chapter 1: WhyDemocraticPeoplesShowaMoreArdentand
MoreEnduringLoveforEqualitythanforLiberty 872
chapter 2: Of IndividualisminDemocraticCountries 881
chapter 3: HowIndividualismIsGreaterattheEndof a
DemocraticRevolutionthanatAnotherTime 885
chapter 4: HowtheAmericansCombatIndividualismwith
FreeInstitutions 887
chapter 5: Of theUseThatAmericansMakeof Association
inCivilLife 895