A. de Toqueville is a French count, publicist, statesman and historian. In 1831 he came to the USA to study the American form of democracy and what it might mean to the rest of the word. After a visit of only nine months he wrote a remarkable book called “Democracy in America”, which is a classic study of the American way of life.
Toqueville had powers of observation. He described not only the democratic system of government and how it operated, but also its effect on how Americans think, feel and act. Many scholars believe that he had a deeper understanding of basic Americans beliefs and values than anyone else who has ever written about the United States. What is so interesting is that many of the traits of the American character which he observed over 150 years ago are still visible and meaningful today.
Another reason why Toqueville’s observations of the American character are important is the time when he visited the United States. He came in the 1830s, before America was industrialized. This was the era of the small farmer, the small businessman, and the setting of the western frontier. The qualities and character traits Toqueville describes are the same ones that Americans take pride in today. He, however, was a neutral observe and saw both the good and the bad sides of these qualities.
Glossary
count граф граф
statesman государственный деятель державний діяч
effect действие, влияние дія, влив
to act действовать, вести себя діяти
scholar ученый вчений
belief вера віра
value ценность цінність
trait черта, штрих риса, штрих
visible видимый, очевидный, явный видимий, явний,
settling поселение селища, колонія
quality характерная черта характерна риса
B) Answer the questions.
1. What was A. de Toqueville?
2. Why did he come to the USA?
3. How long did he stay in the country?
4. What does his book study?
5. What is remarkable about his book?
6. What do scholars think about his book?
7. Why are his observations of the American character so important?
8. Can he be described as a neutral observer?
9. Have you ever come across his name in books, movies or elsewhere?
C) Combine the elements from A and B. Use your knowledge of the text.
A
French
the American form
remarkable
Democracy
classic
remarkable powers
basic Americans
small
the western
character
bad
deep
B
book
of observation
study
beliefs and values
trait
of democracy
in America
count
frontier
sides
farmer
understanding
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