Tocqueville, Religion, and Democracy: Checks and Balances for Democratic Souls

FAIN: FB-56901-13

Alan Sidney Kahan
University of Versailles/St. Quentin (Versailles, France 75015 France)

This project is an analysis of Tocqueville's understanding of the significance of religion in democratic societies, and will be the first comprehensive account of Tocqueville's views on religion. It makes two new arguments about Tocqueville's thought as a whole. First, Tocqueville must be understood as a moralist whose goal was to encourage the perfection of human character. Second, Tocqueville thought that the role of religion was to provide checks and balances for human character in the spiritual realm, just as secular forces should provide them in the political realm, and that in the long run secular checks and balances were dependent on the success of spiritual checks and balances. These arguments guide my examination of Tocqueville's views on the relationship between religion and democracy as found in his writings on America, France, and elsewhere (England, Ireland, Algeria, India), and their implications for how religion and democracy can be mutually supportive today.

Associated Products

Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion: Checks and Balances for Democratic Souls (Book)
Title: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion: Checks and Balances for Democratic Souls
Author: Alan S. Kahan
Abstract: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion is an analysis of Tocqueville’s understanding of the significance of religion in democratic societies, and the first comprehensive account of Tocqueville’s views on religion. It makes two new arguments about Tocqueville’s thought as a whole. First, Tocqueville must be understood as a moralist whose goal was to encourage the perfection of human character. Second, Tocqueville thought that the role of religion was to provide checks and balances for human character in the spiritual realm, just as secular forces should provide them in the political realm, and that in the long run secular checks and balances were dependent on the success of spiritual checks and balances. These arguments guide an examination of Tocqueville’s views on the relationship between religion and democracy as found in his writings on America, France, and elsewhere (England, Ireland, Algeria, India). The final chapter discusses the implications of Tocqueville’s views for analyzing the relationship between religion and democracy today.
Year: 2014
Primary URL: In press with Oxford University Press. Expected date of publication: 9/2015
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Type: Single author monograph
ISBN: not yet
Copy sent to NEH?: No

Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion
Author: Alan Kahan
Abstract: A discussion of some points from my forthcoming book
Date Range: 30 April, 2014
Location: King's College, University of London, Intellectual History seminar

Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion
Author: Alan Kahan
Abstract: Presentation of some of the main themes of my forthcoming books
Date Range: 10 June, 2014
Location: Oxford History of Political Thought Seminar, St. Anne's College, Oxford University

Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion
Author: Alan Kahan
Abstract: Presentation of some of the main themes of my book
Date Range: 2 June, 2014
Location: European History Seminar, Oriel College, Oxford university

Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion
Author: Alan Kahan
Abstract: Presentation of some themes from my book
Date Range: 5 March, 2014
Location: Politics Dept. Seminar, University of Hull, UK

Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion
Author: Alan Kahan
Abstract: Presentation of some themes from my book project
Date Range: 17 February, 2014
Location: John Tudor Memorial Lecture, University of Durham, UK

Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion (Conference/Institute/Seminar)
Title: Tocqueville, Democracy, and Religion
Author: Alan Kahan
Abstract: Presentation of some aspects of my book
Date Range: 20 March, 2014
Location: Graduate History Seminar, Graduate Center of the City University of New York

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