This book (Polity Press 2018), from one of the world’s leading experts, is a clearly written and accessible introduction to Tocqueville’s social and political theories. Schleifer
guides readers through his two major works, Democracy in America (1835/40) and
The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856), as well as his working papers, correspondence, and other writings. Schleifer examines Tocqueville’s essential themes and
explores the various meanings of his key terms, including equality, democracy, liberty,
and revolution. He combines a skillful exposition of Tocqueville’s analysis of the beneficial and harmful consequences of democracy with a crystal clear discussion of his
often overlooked economic ideas and social reform proposals.
