Major Works
The Old Regime and the Revolution
- Recommended Translations: Tocqueville, Alexis de. The Old Regime and the Revolution. Vol. 1. Edited by François Furet and Françoise Mélonio. Translated by Alan S. Kahan. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. Tocqueville, Alexis de. The Old Regime and the Revolution. Vol. 2. Edited by François Furet and Françoise Mélonio. Translated by Alan S. Kahan. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001.Excerpt: The book I now publish is not a history of the Revolution. That history has been too brilliantly written for me to think of writing it afresh. This is a mere essay on the Revolution. The French made, in 1789, the greatest effort that has ever been… MoreRecollections: The French Revolution of 1848
- Recommended Translation: Tocqueville, Alexis de. Recollections: The French Revolution of 1848. Edited by J. P. Mayer and A. P. Kerr. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Press, 1987. Originally published in 1893.Excerpt: Removed for a time from the scene of public life, I am constrained, in the midst of my solitude, to turn my thoughts upon myself, or rather to reflect upon contemporary events in which I have taken part or acted as a witness. And it seems to me that… More
Other Works
Writings on Empire and Slavery
- Writings on Empire and Slavery, ed. and trans. Jennifer Pitts. (Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2003)Excerpt: SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT PREVENTS THE FRENCH FROM HAVING GOOD COLONIES (1833) Even supposing that the territory that is to contain the colony has been discovered and that it combines the conditions necessary for the success of the enterprise, there… More
Commentary
Tocqueville between Two Worlds: The Making of a Political and Theoretical Life
- Sheldon Wolin, Tocqueville between Two Worlds: The Making of a Political and Theoretical Life. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2003)Excerpt: Tocqueville singled out “powerlessness” as the striking characteristic of the politics of the times. Yet those times might also be described as notable for the abundance and variety of powers rather than their scarcity and for actors… MoreTocqueville and the French
- Françoise Mélonio, "Tocqueville and the French," trans. Arthur Goldhammer in The Cambridge Companion to Tocqueville, ed. Cheryl B. Welch. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006)Excerpt: The purpose of this chapter is to show that Tocqueville’s thought gains in stature if we take account of his roots in French culture. The vigor of Tocqueville’s interpretation of the United States stems from his comparative approach. The purpose… More
Multimedia
Tocqueville in France
- "Tocqueville in France, "C-SPAN Discussion, April 26, 1997Tocqueville in France The Tocqueville series was launched with a live program from the Normandy, France chateau of the Tocqueville family. Descendants of Alexis de Tocqueville and Gustave de Beaumont, Tocqueville scholars and others discussed the family… MoreTocqueville and Socialism
- "Tocqueville and Socialism," C-Span Discussion, September 12, 1997Tocqueville and Socialism The panel talked about the philosophy of Alexis de Tocqueville. They compared his writings to those of Rousseau and Marx, along with other contemporary thinkers. They focused on the conflict between individualism and collectivism… More