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The Man Who Understood Democracy

Davion Powell

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Published in The Man Who Understood Democracy: The Life Of Alexis De Tocqueville

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In his new book, The Man Who Understood Democracy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Grann tells the story of James Bryce, a Scottish historian and politician who wrote a classic work on democracy, The American Commonwealth. Bryce's book was hugely influential in the development of democratic thought and institutions around the world.

The Man Who Understood Democracy: The Life of Alexis de Tocqueville

by Olivier Zunz

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	18634 KB
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Print length	:	446 pages

Grann's book is a fascinating and important book that sheds new light on the history of democracy and its challenges in the 21st century.

James Bryce: The Man Who Understood Democracy

James Bryce was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1838. He was the son of a wealthy merchant and was educated at the University of Oxford. After graduating from Oxford, Bryce traveled to the United States, where he was struck by the vitality and optimism of the young democracy. He returned to Scotland and began writing about the American political system.

In 1888, Bryce published The American Commonwealth. The book was a massive work of scholarship that analyzed the American political system in unprecedented detail. Bryce argued that democracy was the best form of government because it allowed for the greatest amount of individual freedom and self-government.

The American Commonwealth was a huge success and quickly became a standard work on democracy. It was translated into dozens of languages and influenced the development of democratic institutions around the world.

The Challenges of Democracy in the 21st Century

In The Man Who Understood Democracy, Grann argues that democracy is facing a number of challenges in the 21st century. These challenges include:

The rise of populism and nationalism
The spread of disinformation and propaganda
The increasing concentration of wealth and power
The decline of trust in institutions

Grann argues that these challenges are not insurmountable, but they will require us to work together to strengthen our democratic institutions and values.