Democracy in America - Then and Now

general courses

This course will offer students an opportunity to consider carefully Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and then see the lasting importance of this classic for our understanding of the American democratic character. Our analysis will consider, among other things: the relationship—historical and logical—between aristocracy and democracy; the instability of democracy; the institutional mechanisms that serve as antidotes to these instabilities; the significance of habit in Tocqueville’s thought; the case for American Exceptionalism; the importance of religion for democracy; whether Tocqueville himself recognized the limits of his “institutional” political science; and finally, whether the problem of democracy is, in the final analysis, a psychological problem. The intention is less to defend what Tocqueville says than to begin to comprehend the way in which he thought through democracy and its problems.

This course will offer students an opportunity to consider carefully Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and then see the lasting importance of this classic for our understanding of the American democratic character. Our analysis will consider, among other things: the relationship—historical and logical—between aristocracy and democracy; the instability of democracy; the institutional mechanisms that serve as antidotes to these instabilities; the significance of habit in Tocqueville’s thought; the case for American Exceptionalism; the importance of religion for democracy; whether Tocqueville himself recognized the limits of his “institutional” political science; and finally, whether the problem of democracy is, in the final analysis, a psychological problem. The intention is less to defend what Tocqueville says than to begin to comprehend the way in which he thought through democracy and its problems.

Course outline:

1. Introduction

Democracy in America, Vol. I, Part I, Introduction & ch 1-2

2. Democracy in America, Vol. I, Part I, ch 3-5

Martin Lipset, American Exceptionalism

3. Democracy in America, Vol. I, Part I, ch 6-8

4. Democracy in America, Vol. I, Part II, ch 1-4

Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone

5. Democracy in America, Vol. I, Part II, ch 5-6

Theda Skocpol, Diminished Democracy

6. Democracy in America, Vol. I, Part II, ch 7-9

Daniel R. Ernst, Tocqueville's Nightmare

7. Democracy in America, Vol. I, Part II, ch 10

David Cohen, Chasing the Red, White, and Blue

8. Democracy in America, Vol. II, Forward and Part I, ch 1-10

9. Democracy in America, Vol. II, Part I, ch 11-21

10. Democracy in America, Vol. II, Part II, ch 1-10

Hartz, Louis.  The Liberal Tradition in America.

11. Democracy in America, Vol. II, Part II, ch 11-20

Robert N. Bellah et al., Habits of the Heart

12. Democracy in America, Vol. II, Part III, ch 1-13

Charles Murray, Coming Apart

13. Democracy in America, Vol. II, Part III, ch 14-26

14. Democracy in America, Vol. II, Part IV, ch 1-8

Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, translated, edited, and 

with an introduction by Harvey C. Mansfield and Delba Winthrop.  Chicago: University of  Chicago Press, 2000. 

Robert N. Bellah et al., Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life (New York: Harper & Row, 1985)

David Cohen, Chasing the Red, White, and Blue: A Journey in Tocqueville's Footsteps Through Contemporary. New York: Picador, 2001.

Daniel R. Ernst, Tocqueville's Nightmare: The Administrative State Emerges in America, 1900-1940. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016

Louis Hartz  The Liberal Tradition in America.  New York: 

Harcourt, Brace, 1955

Martin Lipset, American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edge Sword. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997

Charles Murray, Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960–2010. New York: Crown Forum, 2012.

Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (NewYork: Simon and Schuster, 2000)

Theda Skocpol, Diminished Democracy: From Membership to Management in American Civic Life Norman, Ok: University of Oklahoma Press, 2004.

Upon completing this course the students will have the following:

Regarding Knowledge:

Understand the conceptual and intellectual framework of democratic political regime and its impact on social and cultural frameworks of a given society.

Grasp the evolution of democracy in America and see how that evolution has impacted individuals and society for better or worse.

Understand the dynamic impact that the Democratic political culture had on America and how it will shape its future.

Regarding Skills:

Students will be able to effectively write and communicate on advanced concepts and ideas in English.

Students will learn how to read and understand philosophical texts in English and learn to apply analytical tools and interpretative methods to understand them.

Students will learn how to approach issues of social and political concern with the tools of critical thinking and careful analysis.

Regarding Competences:

Students will have the ability to write and communicate in English about issues on politics, culture and society.

A better understanding of the issues regarding democratic politics that effect citizens of a democracy.

A firm understanding of how to explain to others the way democracy in America differs from (or is similar to) that of Democracy in today's Poland and Europe.

Students are expected to have read the weekly reading before class and be able to discuss or answer questions on the weekly reading. Therefore course participation (oral questions using the Socratic Method) will count for 20% of the course final Grade.

There will also be three short (6-8 pages; double spaced, regular 12 size fonts --not including cover page and bibliography) response essays--responding to the section of the reading that was covered prior to the Essay assignment (but after the previous Essay assignment). Each essay is worth 40% of the course's final grade.

(0 to 6 scale) excellent, >5.6, Very good 5.0 to 5.59, Better than Good, 4.5 to 4.99, Good, 4.0 to 4.49, Satisfactory, 3.5 to 3.99; Sufficient, 3.0-3.49. failure, <3.0