Alexis de Tocqueville delivers a unique observation and perspective on the development of American identity. As a distinguished aristocratic Frenchman who was hit hard by the French Revolution, de Tocqueville does not use this book as an argument for anything, but rather he uses it as an opportunity to inspect American character and its evolving identity. He treats democracy in the United States comprehensively in order to relate it to America's history, national life, and perspectives toward freedom. Throughout this novel, de Tocqueville targets two important areas of subject. First, he examines the structure of government and the institutions that help to maintain freedom. Secondly, he focuses on individuals and the effects of the democratic
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Unlike most, in America, the citizens hold the power to alter any laws they feel necessary. The American judge and individual possessing much political power have the ability to base their decisions on the constitution rather than the law. As a result, they are given the right to not enforce any law he/she declares unconstitutional. To de Tocqueville, this is unique in comparison to France. He compares the two by writing “In France, the constitution is a construction that is, or is supposed to be, immutable. No power can change anything in it” (65). This is also a major contributor in the counteraction of these dangers which have the potential to lead to democratic despotism. In his eyes, this safeguards liberty against democratic despotism. In short, this is a distinguishing factor when one goes to describe the identity of America. Compared to other thriving nations, America was the first to set in place the ability to take any law and revamp it to fit the evolving …show more content…
In reviewing this book, however, I must give my honest opinion on how I felt toward it. In general, this book is organized and well written. Yet, what makes it so challenging to follow is a result of the time frame it was written in. The older usage of language along with the lack of technology to accurately translate this into the American language makes this book require an extensive amount of time in order to actually understand it. For me, I struggled immensely finishing this book, let alone being able to recite what I learned from it. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible for the reader to figure it out, though. While it is time-consuming, rereading and thinking critically can assist one in the comprehension of de Tocqueville’s writing. When making a concluding statement about this book, though, I can say that makes a great teaching tool for educators and students interested in the development of
Unlike most, in America, the citizens hold the power to alter any laws they feel necessary. The American judge and individual possessing much political power have the ability to base their decisions on the constitution rather than the law. As a result, they are given the right to not enforce any law he/she declares unconstitutional. To de Tocqueville, this is unique in comparison to France. He compares the two by writing “In France, the constitution is a construction that is, or is supposed to be, immutable. No power can change anything in it” (65). This is also a major contributor in the counteraction of these dangers which have the potential to lead to democratic despotism. In his eyes, this safeguards liberty against democratic despotism. In short, this is a distinguishing factor when one goes to describe the identity of America. Compared to other thriving nations, America was the first to set in place the ability to take any law and revamp it to fit the evolving …show more content…
In reviewing this book, however, I must give my honest opinion on how I felt toward it. In general, this book is organized and well written. Yet, what makes it so challenging to follow is a result of the time frame it was written in. The older usage of language along with the lack of technology to accurately translate this into the American language makes this book require an extensive amount of time in order to actually understand it. For me, I struggled immensely finishing this book, let alone being able to recite what I learned from it. This doesn’t mean it’s impossible for the reader to figure it out, though. While it is time-consuming, rereading and thinking critically can assist one in the comprehension of de Tocqueville’s writing. When making a concluding statement about this book, though, I can say that makes a great teaching tool for educators and students interested in the development of