Tocqueville and the Nature of Democracy

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Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 1996 - Business & Economics - 148 pages

One of France's leading and most controversial political thinkers explores the central themes of Tocqueville's writings: the democratic revolution and the modern passion for equality. What becomes of people when they are overcome by this passion and how does it transform the contents of life? Pierre Manent's analysis concludes that the growth of state power and the homogenization of society are two primary consequences of equalizing conditions. The author shows the contemporary relevance of Tocqueville's teaching: to love democracy well, one must love it moderately.

Manent examines the prophetic nature of Tocqueville's writings with breadth, clarity, and depth. His findings are both timely and highly relevant as people in Eastern Europe and around the world are grappling with the fragile, complicated, and frequently contradictory nature of democracy. This book is essential reading for students and scholars of political theory and political philosophy, as well as general readers interested in the nature of modern democracy.

 

Selected pages

Contents

THE DEFINITION OF DEMOCRACY
1
DEMOCRACY AND ARISTOCRACY
13
THE FORCE OF DEMOCRATIC EQUALITY
29
THE SOCIAL POWER
37
THE MILDNESS OF DEMOCRACY
47
DEMOCRATIC MAN
53
DEMOCRACY AND THE NATURE OF MAN
67
DEMOCRACY AND RELIGION
83
DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION
109
CONCLUSION
129
NOTES
133
Copyright

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Tocqueville and the Nature of Democracy
Pierre Manent
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Common terms and phrases

affirms Alexis de Tocqueville American democracy ancien régime appears aristocratic society belong cause central power century Chapter cial consequences contrary cratic demo democ Democracy in America democratic convention democratic equality democratic social democratic societies Démocratie en Amerique despotism distinction doctrine dogma effect equality of conditions Europe existence fact finds follows force France François Furet François Guizot French Revolution friend of democracy Gallimard grandeur human Ibid ical idea independence individual influences inequality insofar institutions intellectual L'Ancien less liberty longer Manent matters mildness mocratic modern moral nobility obedience obey Oeuvres complètes Old Regime particular passion political freedom political order political regime political society premier Paris principle racy relations religious rich rule semblable sentiments servant sion social bond social power sovereignty spirit tends things Third Estate thought tion Tocqueville describes Tocqueville tells Tocqueville writes Tocqueville's Tocquevillian United virtue volume

References to this book

About the author (1996)

Pierre Manent, former editor of the journal Commentaire and assistant to Raymond Aron, earned an advanced degree in philosophy at the Ecole Normal Superieure. He is currently Director of Studies at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales and co-editor of the journal La Pense Politique.

Bibliographic information

TitleTocqueville and the Nature of Democracy
AuthorPierre Manent
PublisherBloomsbury Publishing PLC, 1996
ISBN0847681165, 9780847681167
Length148 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Business & Economics / International / General
Political Science / History & Theory
Political Science / Political Ideologies / Democracy
  
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