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ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE
1805 - 1859
PRONOUNCE TOCQUEVILLE
A
Frenchman, Alexis was born in Paris and died in Cannes. He became
famous for his book De la démocratie en Amérique (Democracy in
America.)
Here you can read Democracy in America online, for
free, and in English.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
comments, "Tocqueville's study analyzed ... the potential future of
American democracy. Above all, the work was infused with his message
that a society, properly organized, could hope to retain liberty in
a democratic social order."
Alexis was busy as a politician, writer, political scientist,
historian, and philosopher. Together with his buddy, Gustave de
Beaumont, Alexis traveled the US in the year 1831.
Together, they wrote the book The U.S. Penitentiary System and its
Application in France.
In the year 1836 Alexis married an
English girl named Mary Mottley.
Here's the marriage contract, I know you're dying to see it.
MARY, ALEXIS'S GIRL
Alexis later became French Minister of Foreign Affairs. That was in
1849. But he found himself fired soon afterwards.
Tocqueville TRIVIA
Napoleon Bonaparte
was 36 years older than Alexis and died when Alexis was 16 years
old. For you
fetish lovers,
here's a lock from Alexis's hair.
For crying out loud
There also exists a
Alexis de Tocqueville
Institution (ADTI).
Alexis had a few more names. In full, it
is Alexis Charles Henri Maurice Clérel de Tocqueville. Don't
name your band after him, it won't fly.
Tocqueville Quote
Back in the year 1835, Alexis pondered the political future of the
US and Russia and wrote, "One has freedom as the principal means of
action; the other has servitude. Their . . . paths [are] diverse;
nevertheless, each seems called by some secret design of Providence
one day to hold in its hands the destinies of half the world.”
Take that for a precise political forecast.
ALEXIS WAS MORE ON THE
DELICATE SIDE, HEALTH WISE
Tocqueville and Native
Americans
While traveling the United States, Alexis wrote into his journal,
"The Americans of the United States do not let their dogs hunt the
Indians as do the Spaniards in Mexico, but at bottom it is the same
pitiless feeling which here, as everywhere else, animates the
European race.
"This world here belongs to us, they
tell themselves every day: the Indian race is destined for final
destruction which one cannot prevent and which it is not desirable
to delay. Heaven has not made them to become civilized; it is
necessary that they die. Besides I do not want to get mixed up in
it. I will not do anything against them: I will limit myself to
providing everything that will hasten their ruin. In time I will
have their lands and will be innocent of their death.
"Satisfied with his reasoning, the American goes to church where he
hears the minister of the gospel repeat every day that all men are
brothers, and that the Eternal Being who has made them all in like
image, has given them all the duty to help one another."
Sums it up nicely, doesn't it?
Check this
link for all things Tocqueville, including timelines and all the
good stuff.
And here is
an excellent Tocqueville site by the French and even in
English. Voilà.
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