Originally contracted to report on the American prison system, Alexis de Tocqueville arrived in the nascent country and found that a greater study needed to take place, that which showed why representative democracy seemed to be thriving in America while failing across the world. The results of this study are compiled in his landmark work, Democracy in America, the first volume of which would be published in 1835 and the second in 1840.

The book fundamentally changed the way Americans perceived their own country and how the world perceived Americans. Tocqueville dives deep into several unique aspects of American society, most notably its foundation in social equality, the seemingly impossible mix of religious fervor and political freedom, and the vast differences between the different states and regions. He also predicts that the US and Russia will rise as rival superpowers, that race will continue to dominate American politics even after the abolition of slavery, and that majority rule could mutate into social coercion without the minority feeling safe to dissent. Tocqueville's outsider-focused research and prescient ideas make the book a refreshing and valuable resource for modern readers who want to deepen their understanding of American history and the history of Democracy as a whole.

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