Which work is associated with Alexis de Tocqueville's analysis of democracy and civil society?

Which work is associated with Alexis de Tocqueville's analysis of democracy and civil society?

• A. Alexis de Tocqueville - Rise of the Administrative State
• B. Alexis de Tocqueville - Democracy in America
• C. FDR - Commonwealth Club Address (1932)
• D. Woodrow Wilson - Study of Public Administration (1887)

Answer: (B)

A key idea here is recognizing how democracy operates in practice and the role of ordinary people and associations within it. Tocqueville’s Democracy in America is his principal study of this topic, written after his travels in the United States. It examines how democratic ideals play out in social life, emphasizing how robust civil society—voluntary associations, religious and civic groups, local communities—builds social capital, fosters citizen participation, and acts as a check on centralized power. It also highlights dangers like the tyranny of the majority and argues that local self-government and active civic life are essential to sustaining liberty in a democracy. The other works listed come from different authors or periods and don’t capture Tocqueville’s analysis, so Democracy in America is the correct association.

A key idea here is recognizing how democracy operates in practice and the role of ordinary people and associations within it. Tocqueville’s Democracy in America is his principal study of this topic, written after his travels in the United States. It examines how democratic ideals play out in social life, emphasizing how robust civil society—voluntary associations, religious and civic groups, local communities—builds social capital, fosters citizen participation, and acts as a check on centralized power. It also highlights dangers like the tyranny of the majority and argues that local self-government and active civic life are essential to sustaining liberty in a democracy. The other works listed come from different authors or periods and don’t capture Tocqueville’s analysis, so Democracy in America is the correct association.