I did it!

Democracy in America:  703 pages read; 0 pages to go.

I set a goal last February to read de Tocqueville's massive tome this year--two pages a day--and yesterday I finally finished it! As you can probably tell, I'm glad to be done. I did learn a lot--especially from the first half of the book, but I have to admit, I found Volume II (basically the entire last half of the book) a bit of a slog. De Tocqueville spends 334 pages examining the affect of democracy and its "principles of equality" on various aspects of society, for both good and bad. Every little aspect of society!  I did not find it nearly as interesting or as insightful as Volume I (in which he delineates the beginnings of democracy here in America). My recommendation? Definitely read Volume I of Democracy in America, because it's important and worth your time, but don't bother with Volume II.

If you just want a taste of de Tocqueville's thoughts and observations, here are a few of my favorite quotes from Volume II:

"Society is endangered, not by the great profligacy of a few, but by laxity of morals amongst all."

"The authority of government has not only spread, as we have just seen, throughout the sphere of all existing powers, till that sphere can no longer contain it, but it goes further, and invades the domain heretofore reserved to private independence...it everywhere interferes in private concerns more than it did; it regulates more undertakings...and it gains a firmer footing everyday about, above, and around all private persons, to assist, to advise, and to coerce them."

"...life is passed in the midst of noise and excitement, and men are so engaged in acting that little time remains to them for thinking."

For more of de Tocqueville's quotes, check out my Halfway There  post.

 

Halfway there...

In January, I started reading Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville.  I figured if I read just two pages a day I'd be able to finish the book by the end of the year.  This week I reached the halfway point!  I've been amazed by de Tocqueville's articulateness and intelligence, and also by how relevant this book still remains today.  Here are two of my favorite quotes:

"...the democratic government of the Americans is not a cheap government .. they must often spend the money of the people to no purpose, or consume more of it than is really necessary for their enterprises." (p.184)

"Unlimited power is in itself a bad and dangerous thing.  Human beings are not competent to exercise it with discretion.  God alone can be omnipotent, because his wisdom and his justice are always equal to his power." (p.216) 

Democracy in America:  352 pages down; 352 pages to go.

Two Pages a Day... A Bookish Goal

     Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville is one of those books I think everyone in America should read at least once.  I know I've been meaning to read it for a long time.  (It's been gathering dust on my shelves for years.)  So I pulled it out a few weeks ago, dusted it off, and decided that this year is the year I'm going to read it.  It's 703 pages long, and I figured out that if I read just two pages a day I can finish it by the end of the year.
     So far, I'm on track.  Two pages a day isn't hard, after all, and I've even managed to read more than that on more than one occasion.  (Which is a good thing because last week I accidentally skipped several days in a row.)  
     Democracy in America:   83 pages down;  620 pages to go.


     "Democracy extends the sphere of individual freedom; socialism restricts it.  Democracy attaches all possible value to each man; socialism makes each man a mere number.  Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word:  equality.  But notice the difference:  while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."     --Alexis de Tocqueville