This new edition of "Democracy in America "makes Tocqueville s classic nineteenth-century study of American politics, society, and culture available finally in a brief and accessible version. Designed for instructors who are eager to teach the work but reluctant to assign all 700 plus pages, Kammen s careful abridgment features the most well-known chapters that by scholarly consensus are most representative of Tocqueville s thinking on a wide variety of issues. A comprehensive introduction provides historical and intellectual background, traces the author s journey in America, helps students unpack the meaning behind key Tocquevillian concepts like "individualism," "equality," and "tyranny of the majority," and discusses the work s reception and legacy. Newly translated, this edition offers instructors a convenient and affordable option for exploring this essential work with their students. Useful pedagogic features include a chronology, questions for consideration, a selected bibliography, illustrations, and an index."