DE TOCQUEVILLE''S PREFACE
TO THE SECOND PART
T
he Americans live in a democratic state of
society, which has naturally suggested to
them certain laws and a certain political character.
This same state of society has, moreover, engendered
amongst them a multitude of feelings and opinions
which were unknown amongst the elder aristocratic
communities of Europe： it has destroyed or modified
all the relations which before existed, and established
others of a novel kind. Theaspect of civil society
has been no less affected by these changes than that
of the political world. The former subject has been
treated of in the work on the Democracy of America,
which I published five years ago; to examine the latter
is the object of the present book; but these two parts
complete each other, and form one and the same work.
I must at once warn the reader against an error
which would be extremely prejudicial to me. When he
finds that I attribute so many different consequences
to the principle of equality, he may thence infer that
I consider that principle to be the sole cause of all
that takes place in the present age： but this would
be to impute to me a very narrow view. A multitude
of opinions, feelings, and propensities are now in
existence, which owe their origin to circumstances
unconnected with or even contrary to the principle
of equality. Thus if I were to select the United States
as an example, I could easily prove that the nature of
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA 2
the country, the origin of its inhabitants, the religion
of its founders, their acquired knowledge, and their
former habits, have exercised, and still exercise,
independently of democracy, a vast influence upon
the thoughts and feelings of that people. Different
causes, but no less distinct from the circumstance of
the equality of conditions, might be traced in Europe,
and would explain a great portion of the occurrences
taking place amongst us.
I acknowledge the existence of all these different
causes, and their power, but my subject does not
lead me to treat of them. I have not undertaken to
unfold the reason of all our inclinations and all our
notions： my only object is to show in what respects the
principle of equality has modified both the former and
the latter.
Some readers may perhaps be astonished that
firmly persuaded as I am that the democratic
revolution which we are witnessing is an irresistible
fact against which it would be neither desirable nor
wise to struggleI should often have had occasion
in this book to address language of such severity to
those democratic communities which this revolution
has brought into being. My answer is simply, that it
is because I am not an adversary of democracy, that I
have sought to speak of democracy in all sincerity.
Men will not accept truth at the hands of their
enemies, and truth is seldom offered to them by
their friends： for this reason I have spoken it. I was
persuaded that many would take upon themselves to
announce the new blessings which the principle of
equality promises to mankind, but that few would
dare to point out from afar the dangers with which it
threatens them. To those perils therefore I have turned
my chief attention, and believing that I had discovered
them clearly, I have not had the cowardice to leave
them untold.
I trust that my readers will find in this Second Part
DE TocquEvIllE''S PrEfacETo ThE SEconD ParT 3
that impartiality which seems to have been remarked
in the former work. Placed as I am in the midst of the
conflicting opinions between which we are divided, I
have endeavored to suppress within me for a time the
favorable sympathies or the adverse emotions with
which each of them inspires me. If those who read this
book can find a single sentence intended to flatter any
of the great parties which have agitated my country,
or any of those petty factions which now harass and
weaken it, let such readers raise their voices to accuse
me.
The subject I have sought to embrace is immense,
for it includes the greater part of the feelings and
opinions to which the new state of society has given
birth. Such a subject is doubtless above my strength,
and in treating it I have not succeeded in satisfying
myself. But, if I have not been able to reach the goal
which I had in view, my readers will at least do me
the justice to acknowledge that I have conceived and
followed up my undertaking in a spirit not unworthy
of success.
A. De T.
March, 1840
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