A Macat Analysis of Democracy in America

Democracy in America, published in 1835 and 1840, challenged conventional thinking about democracy when it first appeared and is still cited today for its in-depth analysis of what makes a successful democracy. Having witnessed negative effects of democratic revolutions in his native France, Tocqueville visited America in 1831 to see how a democracy could avoid having its citizens become too dependent on the state or developing a "The Tyranny of the Majority" effectively silencing the voices of minorities. By examining America, Tocqueville discovered that imposed limits on government control, an independent judiciary, and dynamic citizenry contributed to a healthy democratic state.