Democracia en América

by Alexis de Tocqueville

Alexis Henri Charles de Clérel, vizconde de Tocqueville, nació en París, el once termidor del año XIII (29 de julio de 1805). Descendiente de una familia noble de linaje normando, Tocqueville formó parte del mundo que llegó a su fin tras la Revolución, albergando, en sí mismo, el conflicto entre el Antiguo Régimen y la Modernidad. En este sentido, su obra intelectual personifica la tensión de una época -el siglo XIX- y, precisamente en este hecho, residen las raíces de la innegable penetración intelectual de su pensamiento.

El tema medular de la obra tocquevilliana es la libertad, libertad que procede del progresivo avance de la igualdad de condiciones como hecho generador de la democracia moderna. Para Tocqueville, no obstante, toda vez que la igualdad se manifiesta solitaria, esto es, sin los contrapesos necesarios para moderar los efectos disolventes de la ilusión individualista, un nuevo tipo de despotismo amenza con irrumpir: el despotismo democrático. El federalismo, el espíritu de asociación, la descentralización encarnada en la comuna y las creencias religiosas emergen como contrapuntos necesarios para moderar la acción perniciosa del individualismo democrático, salvaguardando, en último término, la libertad.

112 pages, Paperback

About the author

Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville, usually known as just Tocqueville, was a French aristocrat, diplomat, sociologist, political scientist, political philosopher, and historian. He is best known for his works Democracy in America (appearing in two volumes, 1835 and 1840) and The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856). In both, he analyzed the living standards and social conditions of individuals as well as their relationship to the market and state in Western societies. Democracy in America was published after Tocqueville's travels in the United States and is today considered an early work of sociology and political science.
Tocqueville was active in French politics, first under the July Monarchy (1830–1848) and then during the Second Republic (1849–1851) which succeeded the February 1848 Revolution. He retired from political life after Louis Napoléon Bonaparte's 2 December 1851 coup and thereafter began work on The Old Regime and the Revolution. Tocqueville argued the importance of the French Revolution was to continue the process of modernizing and centralizing the French state which had begun under Louis XIV. He believed the failure of the Revolution came from the inexperience of the deputies who were too wedded to abstract Enlightenment ideals.
Tocqueville was a classical liberal who advocated parliamentary government and was skeptical of the extremes of majoritarianism. During his time in parliament, he was first a member of the centre-left before moving to the centre-right, and the complex and restless nature of his liberalism has led to contrasting interpretations and admirers across the political spectrum.