Alexis de Tocqueville

Although Alexis de Tocqueville is widely regarded as one of the most influential political thinkers of the nineteenth century, he was also a prolific author who wrote several books that remain influential to this day.

Alexis de Tocqueville was born in 1805 in France, during the height of the Napoleonic era. He was raised in a noble family, with a father who was an aristocrat and a mother who came from a financially well-off family. His early life was shaped by his father’s political career which exposed him to the workings of the French Empire.

From an early age, Tocqueville was deeply interested in politics and political science. As a young man, he studied law at Paris University and hoped to have a career in government. However, his political prospects were cut short when the Bourbon Restoration came to power and his family was exiled.

In the early 1830s, Tocqueville traveled to the United States on what was thought to be a diplomatic mission. However, his journey changed course when his academic curiosity was stirred by the young republic’s democratic system of government and the rising power of the individual. He was especially interested in the relationship between liberty and the rule of law.

During his stay in the United States, Tocqueville made observations and wrote down his thoughts in two famous books: Democracy in America and The Old Regime and the Revolution. Published in two volumes in 1835 and 1840 respectively, Democracy in America is widely considered to be Tocqueville’s magnum opus. The book is a comprehensive political analysis of the American political system during the Jacksonian Era and includes his observations on the principles of democracy, the strengths and weaknesses of the American system, and the implications for European countries.

The Old Regime and the Revolution is a much shorter work, and is a study of the pre-revolutionary period in France. Tocqueville argues that the French Revolution was a result of a political and social environment created by the Absolutist regime that preceded it. By examining the causes behind the revolution, as well as the consequences of it, Tocqueville hopes to provide historical guidance for other nations.

Tocqueville’s books remain relevant to this day, with many of his observations still holding true. He has been praised for his analysis of democracy, civil liberty, and the power of the individual. Although Democracy in America is often seen as Tocqueville’s most important accomplishment, all of his works reflect his timeless insights and unmistakable style.