2007-04-09 The greatest book ever written about America

This is a truly outstanding work, which was written in the 1830s but still has much to teach us about democracy and about America. If those two subjects were better understood today the world would be a far pleasanter place to live! In the course of his enquiry Tocqueville examines history, legal and political systems, the economy, the arts, relationships between the races and much more, in what amounts to a general reflection on human institutions under democracy. Everyone should read this book, not only Americans or those interested in America, as the need for urgent reflection on the democratic project goes much wider. And in fact, one could say that the work itself is democratic in the sense that it is jargon-free and a pleasure to read, and thus accessible to (nearly) all. Of course, no one thinker sees everything, but this is a major contribution to understanding human societies, on the way to improving them.