Online Seminar Series: Democracy is Worth Saving?

Online Seminar Series

What About Democracy is Worth Saving?  –
Selections from Alexis de Tocqueville

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Alexis de Tocqueville’s seminal work, Democracy in America, remains highly relevant for understanding ourselves and our institutions in the context of modern-day politics. As a result of his travels through the United States in the 1830’s, Tocqueville astutely analyzed the complexities of democracy, exploring themes such as individualism, egalitarianism, and the tension between majority rule and minority rights. Our discussion of this timeless classic should lead us to a clearer view of how the preservation of liberal democracy depends upon the spirited and enlightened engagement of its citizens. We invite you to join this six-part online series, taking place about one-month apart.

Sessions in the Series:

September  8
October 13
November 10
December 8
January 12
February 16

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February 16 Reading:

Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville –

Volume 2: Part 4

Chapter 1 – Equality Naturally Gives Men the Taste for Free Institutions

Chapter 2 – That the Ideas of Democratic Peoples in the Matter of Government Are Naturally Favorable to the Concentration of Powers

Chapter 3 – That the Sentiments of Democratic Peoples are in Accord with Their Ideas to Bring Them to Concentrate Power

Chapter 4 – On Some Particular and Accidental Causes That Serve to Bring a Democratic People to Centralize Power or Turn It Away from That

Chapter 6 – What Kind of Despotism Democratic Nations Have to Fear [See also Note XXVII, p. 704]

Chapter 7 – Continuation of the Preceding Chapters

Chapter 8 – General View of the Subject

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Schedule:

2:00-4:00PM PST

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Tutor:

Karl Haigler

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Location:

Online. Register to receive the link.