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Alexis de Tocqueville in the twenty-first century: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose?

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Abstract

Some recent scholarship concerning Alexis de Tocqueville has sought to emphasize aspects of his work that have not previously been seen as central to his ideas. This review essay examines the argument by Swedberg that Tocqueville’s writings on economics are a missing and important theme of his analysis, and those in Locke and Botting’s book that claim he also made significant contributions to feminism. These unorthodox views are explored against the assessments found in Hugh Brogan’s latest biography of the nineteenth century, social and political theorist.

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Notes

  1. In this essay, the three main texts are referenced by the first initial of the author(s)’s surname: B: = Brogan; S: = Swedberg; L & B: = Locke and Botting.

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    John Stone

  2. St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, USA

    Xiaoshuo Hou

Authors
  1. John Stone
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  2. Xiaoshuo Hou
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Correspondence to John Stone.

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Stone, J., Hou, X. Alexis de Tocqueville in the twenty-first century: plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose?. Theor Soc 39, 109–118 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11186-009-9099-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11186-009-9099-z

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