The only thing I remember from that book is de Tocqueville says the only Americans who seem to care about national politics are either very rich or complete cranks. And he says the very rich ones have very petty, minor disagreements with one another because rich people live in little secluded mansions completely separated from normal society so their political concerns don’t seem to match what’s actually happening in the world. And despite all that, their disagreements are really bitter and aggressive. This book was written in 1835.

I think I remember something else where he talks about how politicians in America are less likely to do direct corruption, like clear cut bribery, and more likely to leverage their political power to gain connections and wealth, then when they transition to private life they retain those connections to both wealthy people and government power. Something like that? I read this book 20 years ago. Also he was very clear that America is lying about the freedom and liberty stuff because of slavery and the genocide of indigenous Americans.

Btw has anyone actually read it? Is it worth reading? Tbh, the Amazon description doesn’t sound very appealing. Kinda little white supremacy even.

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-59) came to America in 1831 to see what a great republic was like. What struck him most was the country’s equality of conditions, its democracy. The book he wrote on his return to France, Democracy in America, is both the best ever written on democracy and the best ever written on America. It remains the most often quoted book about the United States, not only because it has something to interest and please everyone, but also because it has something to teach everyone.