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Tocqueville, Alexis de

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) was a French political thinker and historian best known for his works "Democracy in America" (1835) and "The Old Regime and the Revolution" (1856). Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" is a seminal work in political science and sociology, examining the strengths and weaknesses of the American democratic system. He also explored the effects of democracy on individualism, community, and social equality. His insights into the nature of democracy, the role of civil society, and the potential pitfalls of tyranny remain highly influential in political theory and philosophy.

Alexis de Tocqueville was a French historian, political writer and social theorist who is best known for his work "Democracy in America," a detailed analysis of the political and social system of the United States in the early 19th century ¹. Here are some of the other important aspects of Tocqueville's life and career ² ³:

Early Life:
- Born in Paris, France in 1805 to an aristocratic family
- Parents were jailed during the Reign of Terror
- Studied law in Paris and was appointed a magistrate in Versailles

American Travels:
- Traveled to the United States in 1831 to study its prisons and returned with a wealth of broader observations that he codified in “Democracy in America”
- Spent nine months traveling the United States, studying the prisons and collecting information on American society

Democracy in America
- Published in two volumes in 1835 and 1840

- Examines the democratic revolution that he believed had been occurring over the previous several hundred years

- Describes the change in social conditions taking place and the development of equality

Later Life:
- Served as a deputy in the French assembly in 1839
- Served briefly as Louis Napoleon’s foreign minister before being forced out of politics again when he refused to support Louis Napoleon’s coup
- Retired to his family estate in Normandy and began writing a history of modern France
- Died of tuberculosis in 1859 at the age of 53
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