Inageswhichanswertothisdescription，mendeserttheirreligiousopinionsfromlukewarmnessratherthanfromdislike;
theydonotrejectthem，butthesentimentsbywhichtheywereoncefostereddisappear。Butiftheunbelieverdoesnotadmitreligiontobetrue，hestillconsidersituseful。Regardingreligiousinstitutionsinahumanpointofview，heacknowledgestheirinfluenceuponmannersandlegislation。Headmitsthattheymayservetomakemenliveinpeacewithoneanother，andtopreparethemgentlyforthehourofdeath。Heregretsthefaithwhichhehaslost;andasheisdeprivedofatreasurewhichhehaslearnedtoestimateatitsfullvalue，hescruplestotakeitfromthosewhostillpossessit。
Ontheotherhand，thosewhocontinuetobelievearenotafraidopenlytoavowtheirfaith。Theylookuponthosewhodonotsharetheirpersuasionasmoreworthyofpitythanofopposition;andtheyareawarethattoacquiretheesteemoftheunbelieving，theyarenotobligedtofollowtheirexample。Theyarehostiletonooneintheworld;andastheydonotconsiderthesocietyinwhichtheyliveasanarenainwhichreligionisboundtofaceitsthousanddeadlyfoes，theylovetheircontemporaries，whilsttheycondemntheirweaknessesandlamenttheirerrors。
Asthosewhodonotbelieve，concealtheirincredulity;andasthosewhobelieve，displaytheirfaith，publicopinionpronouncesitselfinfavorofreligion:love，support，andhonorarebestoweduponit，anditisonlybysearchingthehumansoulthatwecandetectthewoundswhichithasreceived。Themassofmankind，whoareneverwithoutthefeelingofreligion，donotperceiveanythingatvariancewiththeestablishedfaith。Theinstinctivedesireofafuturelifebringsthecrowdaboutthealtar，andopenstheheartsofmentothepreceptsandconsolationsofreligion。
Butthispictureisnotapplicabletous:fortherearemenamongstuswhohaveceasedtobelieveinChristianity，withoutadoptinganyotherreligion;otherswhoareintheperplexitiesofdoubt，andwhoalreadyaffectnottobelieve;andothers，again，whoareafraidtoavowthatChristianfaithwhichtheystillcherishinsecret。
Amidsttheselukewarmpartisansandardentantagonistsasmallnumberofbelieversexist，whoarereadytobraveallobstaclesandtoscornalldangersindefenceoftheirfaith。
Theyhavedoneviolencetohumanweakness，inordertorisesuperiortopublicopinion。Excitedbytheefforttheyhavemade，theyscarcelyknewwheretostop;andastheyknowthatthefirstusewhichtheFrenchmadeofindependencewastoattackreligion，theylookupontheircontemporarieswithdread，andtheyrecoilinalarmfromthelibertywhichtheirfellow—citizensareseekingtoobtain。Asunbeliefappearstothemtobeanovelty，theycompriseallthatisnewinoneindiscriminateanimosity。Theyareatwarwiththeirageandcountry，andtheylookuponeveryopinionwhichisputforththereasthenecessaryenemyofthefaith。
Suchisnotthenaturalstateofmenwithregardtoreligionatthepresentday;andsomeextraordinaryorincidentalcausemustbeatworkinFrancetopreventthehumanmindfromfollowingitsoriginalpropensitiesandtodriveitbeyondthelimitsatwhichitoughtnaturallytostop。Iamintimatelyconvincedthatthisextraordinaryandincidentalcauseisthecloseconnectionofpoliticsandreligion。TheunbelieversofEuropeattacktheChristiansastheirpoliticalopponents，ratherthanastheirreligiousadversaries;theyhatetheChristianreligionastheopinionofaparty，muchmorethanasanerrorofbelief;andtheyrejecttheclergylessbecausetheyaretherepresentativesoftheDivinitythanbecausetheyarethealliesofauthority。
InEurope，Christianityhasbeenintimatelyunitedtothepowersoftheearth。Thosepowersarenowindecay，anditis，asitwere，buriedundertheirruins。Thelivingbodyofreligionhasbeenbounddowntothedeadcorpseofsuperannuatedpolity:cutbutthebondswhichrestrainit，andthatwhichisalivewillriseoncemore。IknownotwhatcouldrestoretheChristianChurchofEuropetotheenergyofitsearlierdays;
thatpowerbelongstoGodalone;butitmaybetheeffectofhumanpolicytoleavethefaithinthefullexerciseofthestrengthwhichitstillretains。
HowTheInstruction，TheHabits，AndThePracticalExperienceOfTheAmericansPromoteTheSuccessOfTheirDemocraticInstitutionsWhatistobeunderstoodbytheinstructionoftheAmericanpeople—ThehumanmindmoresuperficiallyinstructedintheUnitedStatesthaninEurope—Noonecompletelyuninstructed—
Reasonofthis—RapiditywithwhichopinionsarediffusedevenintheuncultivatedStatesoftheWest—PracticalexperiencemoreserviceabletotheAmericansthanbook—learning。
IhavebutlittletoaddtowhatIhavealreadysaidconcerningtheinfluencewhichtheinstructionandthehabitsoftheAmericansexerciseuponthemaintenanceoftheirpoliticalinstitutions。
Americahashithertoproducedveryfewwritersofdistinction;itpossessesnogreathistorians，andnotasingleeminentpoet。Theinhabitantsofthatcountrylookuponwhatareproperlystyledliterarypursuitswithakindofdisapprobation;
andtherearetownsofverysecond—rateimportanceinEuropeinwhichmoreliteraryworksareannuallypublishedthaninthetwenty—fourStatesoftheUnionputtogether。ThespiritoftheAmericansisaversetogeneralideas;anditdoesnotseektheoreticaldiscoveries。Neitherpoliticsnormanufacturesdirectthemtotheseoccupations;andalthoughnewlawsareperpetuallyenactedintheUnitedStates，nogreatwritershavehithertoinquiredintothegeneralprinciplesoftheirlegislation。TheAmericanshavelawyersandcommentators，butnojurists;*handtheyfurnishexamplesratherthanlessonstotheworld。Thesameobservationappliestothemechanicalarts。InAmerica，theinventionsofEuropeareadoptedwithsagacity;theyareperfected，andadaptedwithadmirableskilltothewantsofthecountry。Manufacturesexist，butthescienceofmanufactureisnotcultivated;andtheyhavegoodworkmen，butveryfewinventors。Fultonwasobligedtoprofferhisservicestoforeignnationsforalongtimebeforehewasabletodevotethemtohisowncountry。
[Footnoteh:[ThiscannotbesaidwithtruthofthecountryofKent，Story，andWheaton。]]
TheobserverwhoisdesirousofforminganopiniononthestateofinstructionamongsttheAnglo—Americansmustconsiderthesameobjectfromtwodifferentpointsofview。Ifheonlysinglesoutthelearned，hewillbeastonishedtofindhowraretheyare;butifhecountstheignorant，theAmericanpeoplewillappeartobethemostenlightenedcommunityintheworld。Thewholepopulation，asIobservedinanotherplace，issituatedbetweenthesetwoextremes。InNewEngland，everycitizenreceivestheelementarynotionsofhumanknowledge;heismoreovertaughtthedoctrinesandtheevidencesofhisreligion，thehistoryofhiscountry，andtheleadingfeaturesofitsConstitution。IntheStatesofConnecticutandMassachusetts，itisextremelyraretofindamanimperfectlyacquaintedwithallthesethings，andapersonwhollyignorantofthemisasortofphenomenon。
WhenIcomparetheGreekandRomanrepublicswiththeseAmericanStates;themanuscriptlibrariesoftheformer，andtheirrudepopulation，withtheinnumerablejournalsandtheenlightenedpeopleofthelatter;whenIrememberalltheattemptswhicharemadetojudgethemodernrepublicsbytheassistanceofthoseofantiquity，andtoinferwhatwillhappeninourtimefromwhattookplacetwothousandyearsago，Iamtemptedtoburnmybooks，inordertoapplynonebutnovelideastosonovelaconditionofsociety。
WhatIhavesaidofNewEnglandmustnot，however，beappliedindistinctlytothewholeUnion;asweadvancetowardstheWestortheSouth，theinstructionofthepeoplediminishes。
IntheStateswhichareadjacenttotheGulfofMexico，acertainnumberofindividualsmaybefound，asinourowncountries，whoaredevoidoftherudimentsofinstruction。ButthereisnotasingledistrictintheUnitedStatessunkincompleteignorance;
andforaverysimplereason:thepeoplesofEuropestartedfromthedarknessofabarbarouscondition，toadvancetowardthelightofcivilization;theirprogresshasbeenunequal;someofthemhaveimprovedapace，whilstothershaveloiteredintheircourse，andsomehavestopped，andarestillsleepingupontheway。*i[Footnotei:[IntheNorthernStatesthenumberofpersonsdestituteofinstructionisinconsiderable，thelargestnumberbeing241，152intheStateofNewYork（accordingtoSpaulding’s\"HandbookofAmericanStatistics\"for1874）;butintheSouthnolessthan1，516，339whitesand2，671，396coloredpersonsarereturnedas\"illiterate。\"]]
SuchhasnotbeenthecaseintheUnitedStates。TheAnglo—
Americanssettledinastateofcivilization，uponthatterritorywhichtheirdescendantsoccupy;theyhadnottobegintolearn，anditwassufficientforthemnottoforget。NowthechildrenofthesesameAmericansarethepersonswho，yearbyyear，transporttheirdwellingsintothewilds;andwiththeirdwellingstheiracquiredinformationandtheiresteemforknowledge。Educationhastaughtthemtheutilityofinstruction，andhasenabledthemtotransmitthatinstructiontotheirposterity。IntheUnitedStatessocietyhasnoinfancy，butitisborninman’sestate。
TheAmericansneverusetheword\"peasant，\"becausetheyhavenoideaofthepeculiarclasswhichthattermdenotes;theignoranceofmoreremoteages，thesimplicityofrurallife，andtherusticityofthevillagerhavenotbeenpreservedamongstthem;andtheyarealikeunacquaintedwiththevirtues，thevices，thecoarsehabits，andthesimplegracesofanearlystageofcivilization。AttheextremebordersoftheConfederateStates，upontheconfinesofsocietyandofthewilderness，apopulationofboldadventurershavetakenuptheirabode，whopiercethesolitudesoftheAmericanwoods，andseekacountrythere，inordertoescapethatpovertywhichawaitedthemintheirnativeprovinces。Assoonasthepioneerarrivesuponthespotwhichistoservehimforaretreat，hefellsafewtreesandbuildsaloghouse。Nothingcanofferamoremiserableaspectthantheseisolateddwellings。Thetravellerwhoapproachesoneofthemtowardsnightfall，seestheflickerofthehearth—flamethroughthechinksinthewalls;andatnight，ifthewindrises，hehearstheroofofboughsshaketoandfrointhemidstofthegreatforesttrees。Whowouldnotsupposethatthispoorhutistheasylumofrudenessandignorance？Yetnosortofcomparisoncanbedrawnbetweenthepioneerandthedwellingwhichsheltershim。Everythingabouthimisprimitiveandunformed，butheishimselftheresultofthelaborandtheexperienceofeighteencenturies。Hewearsthedress，andhespeaksthelanguageofcities;heisacquaintedwiththepast，curiousofthefuture，andreadyforargumentuponthepresent;heis，inshort，ahighlycivilizedbeing，whoconsents，foratime，toinhabitthebackwoods，andwhopenetratesintothewildsoftheNewWorldwiththeBible，anaxe，andafileofnewspapers。
Itisdifficulttoimaginetheincrediblerapiditywithwhichpublicopinioncirculatesinthemidstofthesedeserts。*jIdonotthinkthatsomuchintellectualintercoursetakesplaceinthemostenlightenedandpopulousdistrictsofFrance。*kItcannotbedoubtedthat，intheUnitedStates，theinstructionofthepeoplepowerfullycontributestothesupportofademocraticrepublic;andsuchmustalwaysbethecase，Ibelieve，whereinstructionwhichawakenstheunderstandingisnotseparatedfrommoraleducationwhichamendstheheart。ButIbynomeansexaggeratethisbenefit，andIamstillfurtherfromthinking，assomanypeopledothinkinEurope，thatmencanbeinstantaneouslymadecitizensbyteachingthemtoreadandwrite。
Trueinformationismainlyderivedfromexperience;andiftheAmericanshadnotbeengraduallyaccustomedtogovernthemselves，theirbook—learningwouldnotassistthemmuchatthepresentday。
[Footnotej:ItravelledalongaportionofthefrontieroftheUnitedStatesinasortofcartwhichwastermedthemail。Wepassed，dayandnight，withgreatrapidityalongtheroadswhichwerescarcelymarkedout，throughimmenseforests;whenthegloomofthewoodsbecameimpenetrablethecoachmanlightedbranchesoffir，andwejourneyedalongbythelighttheycast。Fromtimetotimewecametoahutinthemidstoftheforest，whichwasapost—office。Themaildroppedanenormousbundleoflettersatthedoorofthisisolateddwelling，andwepursuedourwayatfullgallop，leavingtheinhabitantsoftheneighboringloghousestosendfortheirshareofthetreasure。
[WhentheauthorvisitedAmericathelocomotiveandtherailroadwerescarcelyinvented，andnotyetintroducedintheUnitedStates。Itissuperfluoustopointouttheimmenseeffectofthoseinventionsinextendingcivilizationanddevelopingtheresourcesofthatvastcontinent。In1831therewere51milesofrailwayintheUnitedStates;in1872therewere60，000milesofrailway。]]
[Footnotek:In1832eachinhabitantofMichiganpaidasumequivalentto1fr。22cent。（Frenchmoney）tothepost—officerevenue，andeachinhabitantoftheFloridaspaid1fr。5cent。
（See\"NationalCalendar，\"1833，p。244。）InthesameyeareachinhabitantoftheDepartementduNordpaid1fr。4cent。totherevenueoftheFrenchpost—office。（Seethe\"Compterendudel’administrationdesFinances，\"1833，p。623。）NowtheStateofMichiganonlycontainedatthattime7inhabitantspersquareleagueandFloridaonly5:thepublicinstructionandthecommercialactivityofthesedistrictsisinferiortothatofmostoftheStatesintheUnion，whilsttheDepartementduNord，whichcontains3，400inhabitantspersquareleague，isoneofthemostenlightenedandmanufacturingpartsofFrance。]
IhavelivedagreatdealwiththepeopleintheUnitedStates，andIcannotexpresshowmuchIadmiretheirexperienceandtheirgoodsense。AnAmericanshouldneverbeallowedtospeakofEurope;forhewillthenprobablydisplayavastdealofpresumptionandveryfoolishpride。Hewilltakeupwiththosecrudeandvaguenotionswhicharesousefultotheignorantallovertheworld。Butifyouquestionhimrespectinghisowncountry，thecloudwhichdimmedhisintelligencewillimmediatelydisperse;hislanguagewillbecomeasclearandaspreciseashisthoughts。Hewillinformyouwhathisrightsare，andbywhatmeansheexercisesthem;hewillbeabletopointoutthecustomswhichobtaininthepoliticalworld。Youwillfindthatheiswellacquaintedwiththerulesoftheadministration，andthatheisfamiliarwiththemechanismofthelaws。ThecitizenoftheUnitedStatesdoesnotacquirehispracticalscienceandhispositivenotionsfrombooks;theinstructionhehasacquiredmayhavepreparedhimforreceivingthoseideas，butitdidnotfurnishthem。TheAmericanlearnstoknowthelawsbyparticipatingintheactoflegislation;andhetakesalessonintheformsofgovernmentfromgoverning。Thegreatworkofsocietyisevergoingonbeneathhiseyes，and，asitwere，underhishands。
IntheUnitedStatespoliticsaretheendandaimofeducation;inEuropeitsprincipalobjectistofitmenforprivatelife。Theinterferenceofthecitizensinpublicaffairsistoorareanoccurrenceforittobeanticipatedbeforehand。
Uponcastingaglanceoversocietyinthetwohemispheres，thesedifferencesareindicatedevenbyitsexternalaspect。
InEuropewefrequentlyintroducetheideasandthehabitsofprivatelifeintopublicaffairs;andaswepassatoncefromthedomesticcircletothegovernmentoftheState，wemayfrequentlybeheardtodiscussthegreatinterestsofsocietyinthesamemannerinwhichweconversewithourfriends。TheAmericans，ontheotherhand，transfusethehabitsofpubliclifeintotheirmannersinprivate;andintheircountrythejuryisintroducedintothegamesofschoolboys，andparliamentaryformsareobservedintheorderofafeast。
ChapterXVII:PrincipalCausesMaintainingTheDemocraticRepublic—PartIV
TheLawsContributeMoreToTheMaintenanceOfTheDemocraticRepublicInTheUnitedStatesThanThePhysicalCircumstancesOfTheCountry，AndTheMannersMoreThanTheLawsAllthenationsofAmericahaveademocraticstateofsociety—
YetdemocraticinstitutionsonlysubsistamongsttheAnglo—Americans—TheSpaniardsofSouthAmerica，equallyfavoredbyphysicalcausesastheAnglo—Americans，unabletomaintainademocraticrepublic—Mexico，whichhasadoptedtheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates，inthesamepredicament—TheAnglo—AmericansoftheWestlessabletomaintainitthanthoseoftheEast—Reasonofthesedifferentresults。
IhaveremarkedthatthemaintenanceofdemocraticinstitutionsintheUnitedStatesisattributabletothecircumstances，thelaws，andthemannersofthatcountry。*lMostEuropeansareonlyacquaintedwiththefirstofthesethreecauses，andtheyareapttogiveitapreponderatingimportancewhichitdoesnotreallypossess。
[Footnotel:IremindthereaderofthegeneralsignificationwhichIgivetotheword\"manners，\"namely，themoralandintellectualcharacteristicsofsocialmantakencollectively。]
ItistruethattheAnglo—SaxonssettledintheNewWorldinastateofsocialequality;thelow—bornandthenoblewerenottobefoundamongstthem;andprofessionalprejudiceswerealwaysasentirelyunknownastheprejudicesofbirth。Thus，astheconditionofsocietywasdemocratic，theempireofdemocracywasestablishedwithoutdifficulty。ButthiscircumstanceisbynomeanspeculiartotheUnitedStates;almostallthetrans—Atlanticcolonieswerefoundedbymenequalamongstthemselves，orwhobecamesobyinhabitingthem。InnoonepartoftheNewWorldhaveEuropeansbeenabletocreateanaristocracy。Nevertheless，democraticinstitutionsprospernowherebutintheUnitedStates。
TheAmericanUnionhasnoenemiestocontendwith;itstandsinthewildslikeanislandintheocean。ButtheSpaniardsofSouthAmericawerenolessisolatedbynature;yettheirpositionhasnotrelievedthemfromthechargeofstandingarmies。Theymakewaruponeachotherwhentheyhavenoforeignenemiestooppose;andtheAnglo—Americandemocracyistheonlyonewhichhashithertobeenabletomaintainitselfinpeace。*m[Footnotem:[Aremarkwhich，sincethegreatCivilWarof1861—65，ceasestobeapplicable。]]
TheterritoryoftheUnionpresentsaboundlessfieldtohumanactivity，andinexhaustiblematerialsforindustryandlabor。Thepassionofwealthtakestheplaceofambition，andthewarmthoffactionismitigatedbyasenseofprosperity。Butinwhatportionoftheglobeshallwemeetwithmorefertileplains，withmightierrivers，orwithmoreunexploredandinexhaustiblerichesthaninSouthAmerica？
Nevertheless，SouthAmericahasbeenunabletomaintaindemocraticinstitutions。Ifthewelfareofnationsdependedontheirbeingplacedinaremoteposition，withanunboundedspaceofhabitableterritorybeforethem，theSpaniardsofSouthAmericawouldhavenoreasontocomplainoftheirfate。AndalthoughtheymightenjoylessprosperitythantheinhabitantsoftheUnitedStates，theirlotmightstillbesuchastoexcitetheenvyofsomenationsinEurope。Thereare，however，nonationsuponthefaceoftheearthmoremiserablethanthoseofSouthAmerica。
Thus，notonlyarephysicalcausesinadequatetoproduceresultsanalogoustothosewhichoccurinNorthAmerica，buttheyareunabletoraisethepopulationofSouthAmericaabovethelevelofEuropeanStates，wheretheyactinacontrarydirection。
Physicalcausesdonot，therefore，affectthedestinyofnationssomuchashasbeensupposed。
IhavemetwithmeninNewEnglandwhowereonthepointofleavingacountry，wheretheymighthaveremainedineasycircumstances，togotoseektheirfortuneinthewilds。NotfarfromthatdistrictIfoundaFrenchpopulationinCanada，whichwascloselycrowdedonanarrowterritory，althoughthesamewildswereathand;andwhilsttheemigrantfromtheUnitedStatespurchasedanextensiveestatewiththeearningsofashorttermoflabor，theCanadianpaidasmuchforlandashewouldhavedoneinFrance。NatureoffersthesolitudesoftheNewWorldtoEuropeans;buttheyarenotalwaysacquaintedwiththemeansofturninghergiftstoaccount。OtherpeoplesofAmericahavethesamephysicalconditionsofprosperityastheAnglo—Americans，butwithouttheirlawsandtheirmanners;andthesepeoplesarewretched。ThelawsandmannersoftheAnglo—Americansarethereforethatefficientcauseoftheirgreatnesswhichistheobjectofmyinquiry。
IamfarfromsupposingthattheAmericanlawsarepreeminentlygoodinthemselves;Idonotholdthemtobeapplicabletoalldemocraticpeoples;andseveralofthemseemtobedangerous，evenintheUnitedStates。Nevertheless，itcannotbedeniedthattheAmericanlegislation，takencollectively，isextremelywelladaptedtothegeniusofthepeopleandthenatureofthecountrywhichitisintendedtogovern。TheAmericanlawsarethereforegood，andtothemmustbeattributedalargeportionofthesuccesswhichattendsthegovernmentofdemocracyinAmerica:butIdonotbelievethemtobetheprincipalcauseofthatsuccess;andiftheyseemtometohavemoreinfluenceuponthesocialhappinessoftheAmericansthanthenatureofthecountry，ontheotherhandthereisreasontobelievethattheireffectisstillinferiortothatproducedbythemannersofthepeople。
TheFederallawsundoubtedlyconstitutethemostimportantpartofthelegislationoftheUnitedStates。Mexico，whichisnotlessfortunatelysituatedthantheAnglo—AmericanUnion，hasadoptedthesamelaws，butisunabletoaccustomitselftothegovernmentofdemocracy。Someothercauseisthereforeatwork，independentlyofthosephysicalcircumstancesandpeculiarlawswhichenablethedemocracytoruleintheUnitedStates。
Anotherstillmorestrikingproofmaybeadduced。AlmostalltheinhabitantsoftheterritoryoftheUnionarethedescendantsofacommonstock;theyspeakthesamelanguage，theyworshipGodinthesamemanner，theyareaffectedbythesamephysicalcauses，andtheyobeythesamelaws。Whence，then，dotheircharacteristicdifferencesarise？Why，intheEasternStatesoftheUnion，doestherepublicangovernmentdisplayvigorandregularity，andproceedwithmaturedeliberation？Whencedoesitderivethewisdomandthedurabilitywhichmarkitsacts，whilstintheWesternStates，onthecontrary，societyseemstoberuledbythepowersofchance？There，publicbusinessisconductedwithanirregularityandapassionateandfeverishexcitement，whichdoesnotannouncealongorsureduration。
IamnolongercomparingtheAnglo—AmericanStatestoforeignnations;butIamcontrastingthemwitheachother，andendeavoringtodiscoverwhytheyaresounlike。Theargumentswhicharederivedfromthenatureofthecountryandthedifferenceoflegislationarehereallsetaside。Recoursemustbehadtosomeothercause;andwhatothercausecantherebeexceptthemannersofthepeople？
ItisintheEasternStatesthattheAnglo—Americanshavebeenlongestaccustomedtothegovernmentofdemocracy，andthattheyhaveadoptedthehabitsandconceivedthenotionsmostfavorabletoitsmaintenance。Democracyhasgraduallypenetratedintotheircustoms，theiropinions，andtheformsofsocialintercourse;itistobefoundinallthedetailsofdailylifeequallyasinthelaws。IntheEasternStatestheinstructionandpracticaleducationofthepeoplehavebeenmostperfected，andreligionhasbeenmostthoroughlyamalgamatedwithliberty。
Nowthesehabits，opinions，customs，andconvictionsarepreciselytheconstituentelementsofthatwhichIhavedenominatedmanners。
IntheWesternStates，onthecontrary，aportionofthesameadvantagesisstillwanting。ManyoftheAmericansoftheWestwereborninthewoods，andtheymixtheideasandthecustomsofsavagelifewiththecivilizationoftheirparents。
Theirpassionsaremoreintense;theirreligiousmoralitylessauthoritative;andtheirconvictionslesssecure。Theinhabitantsexercisenosortofcontrolovertheirfellow—citizens，fortheyarescarcelyacquaintedwitheachother。ThenationsoftheWestdisplay，toacertainextent，theinexperienceandtherudehabitsofapeopleinitsinfancy;foralthoughtheyarecomposedofoldelements，theirassemblageisofrecentdate。
ThemannersoftheAmericansoftheUnitedStatesare，then，therealcausewhichrendersthatpeopletheonlyoneoftheAmericannationsthatisabletosupportademocraticgovernment;
anditistheinfluenceofmannerswhichproducesthedifferentdegreesoforderandofprosperitythatmaybedistinguishedintheseveralAnglo—Americandemocracies。ThustheeffectwhichthegeographicalpositionofacountrymayhaveuponthedurationofdemocraticinstitutionsisexaggeratedinEurope。Toomuchimportanceisattributedtolegislation，toolittletomanners。
Thesethreegreatcausesserve，nodoubt，toregulateanddirecttheAmericandemocracy;butiftheyweretobeclassedintheirproperorder，Ishouldsaythatthephysicalcircumstancesarelessefficientthanthelaws，andthelawsverysubordinatetothemannersofthepeople。Iamconvincedthatthemostadvantageoussituationandthebestpossiblelawscannotmaintainaconstitutioninspiteofthemannersofacountry;whilstthelattermayturnthemostunfavorablepositionsandtheworstlawstosomeadvantage。Theimportanceofmannersisacommontruthtowhichstudyandexperienceincessantlydirectourattention。
Itmayberegardedasacentralpointintherangeofhumanobservation，andthecommonterminationofallinquiry。SoseriouslydoIinsistuponthishead，thatifIhavehithertofailedinmakingthereaderfeeltheimportantinfluencewhichI
attributetothepracticalexperience，thehabits，theopinions，inshort，tothemannersoftheAmericans，uponthemaintenanceoftheirinstitutions，Ihavefailedintheprincipalobjectofmywork。
WhetherLawsAndMannersAreSufficientToMaintainDemocraticInstitutionsInOtherCountriesBesidesAmericaTheAnglo—Americans，iftransportedintoEurope，wouldbeobligedtomodifytheirlaws—DistinctiontobemadebetweendemocraticinstitutionsandAmericaninstitutions—Democraticlawsmaybeconceivedbetterthan，oratleastdifferentfrom，thosewhichtheAmericandemocracyhasadopted—TheexampleofAmericaonlyprovesthatitispossibletoregulatedemocracybytheassistanceofmannersandlegislation。
IhaveassertedthatthesuccessofdemocraticinstitutionsintheUnitedStatesismoreintimatelyconnectedwiththelawsthemselves，andthemannersofthepeople，thanwiththenatureofthecountry。Butdoesitfollowthatthesamecauseswouldofthemselvesproducethesameresults，iftheywereputintooperationelsewhere;andifthecountryisnoadequatesubstituteforlawsandmanners，canlawsandmannersintheirturnproveasubstituteforthecountry？Itwillreadilybeunderstoodthatthenecessaryelementsofareplytothisquestionarewanting:
otherpeoplesaretobefoundintheNewWorldbesidestheAnglo—
Americans，andasthesepeopleareaffectedbythesamephysicalcircumstancesasthelatter，theymayfairlybecomparedtogether。ButtherearenonationsoutofAmericawhichhaveadoptedthesamelawsandmanners，beingdestituteofthephysicaladvantagespeculiartotheAnglo—Americans。Nostandardofcomparisonthereforeexists，andwecanonlyhazardanopinionuponthissubject。
Itappearstome，inthefirstplace，thatacarefuldistinctionmustbemadebetweentheinstitutionsoftheUnitedStatesanddemocraticinstitutionsingeneral。WhenIreflectuponthestateofEurope，itsmightynations，itspopulouscities，itsformidablearmies，andthecomplexnatureofitspolitics，IcannotsupposethateventheAnglo—Americans，iftheyweretransportedtoourhemisphere，withtheirideas，theirreligion，andtheirmanners，couldexistwithoutconsiderablyalteringtheirlaws。Butademocraticnationmaybeimagined，organizeddifferentlyfromtheAmericanpeople。Itisnotimpossibletoconceiveagovernmentreallyestablisheduponthewillofthemajority;butinwhichthemajority，repressingitsnaturalpropensitytoequality，shouldconsent，withaviewtotheorderandthestabilityoftheState，toinvestafamilyoranindividualwithalltheprerogativesoftheexecutive。A
democraticsocietymightexist，inwhichtheforcesofthenationwouldbemorecentralizedthantheyareintheUnitedStates;thepeoplewouldexercisealessdirectandlessirresistibleinfluenceuponpublicaffairs，andyeteverycitizeninvestedwithcertainrightswouldparticipate，withinhissphere，intheconductofthegovernment。TheobservationsImadeamongsttheAnglo—Americansinducemetobelievethatdemocraticinstitutionsofthiskind，prudentlyintroducedintosociety，soasgraduallytomixwiththehabitsandtobeinterfusedwiththeopinionsofthepeople，mightsubsistinothercountriesbesidesAmerica。IfthelawsoftheUnitedStatesweretheonlyimaginabledemocraticlaws，orthemostperfectwhichitispossibletoconceive，Ishouldadmitthatthesuccessofthoseinstitutionsaffordsnoproofofthesuccessofdemocraticinstitutionsingeneral，inacountrylessfavoredbynaturalcircumstances。ButasthelawsofAmericaappeartometobedefectiveinseveralrespects，andasIcanreadilyimagineothersofthesamegeneralnature，thepeculiaradvantagesofthatcountrydonotprovethatdemocraticinstitutionscannotsucceedinanationlessfavoredbycircumstances，ifruledbybetterlaws。
IfhumannatureweredifferentinAmericafromwhatitiselsewhere;orifthesocialconditionoftheAmericansengenderedhabitsandopinionsamongstthemdifferentfromthosewhichoriginateinthesamesocialconditionintheOldWorld，theAmericandemocracieswouldaffordnomeansofpredictingwhatmayoccurinotherdemocracies。IftheAmericansdisplayedthesamepropensitiesasallotherdemocraticnations，andiftheirlegislatorshadrelieduponthenatureofthecountryandthefavorofcircumstancestorestrainthosepropensitieswithinduelimits，theprosperityoftheUnitedStateswouldbeexclusivelyattributabletophysicalcauses，anditwouldaffordnoencouragementtoapeopleinclinedtoimitatetheirexample，withoutsharingtheirnaturaladvantages。Butneitherofthesesuppositionsisborneoutbyfacts。
InAmericathesamepassionsaretobemetwithasinEurope;someoriginatinginhumannature，othersinthedemocraticconditionofsociety。ThusintheUnitedStatesI
foundthatrestlessnessofheartwhichisnaturaltomen，whenallranksarenearlyequalandthechancesofelevationarethesametoall。Ifoundthedemocraticfeelingofenvyexpressedunderathousanddifferentforms。Iremarkedthatthepeoplefrequentlydisplayed，intheconductofaffairs，aconsummatemixtureofignoranceandpresumption;andIinferredthatinAmerica，menareliabletothesamefailingsandthesameabsurditiesasamongstourselves。Butuponexaminingthestateofsocietymoreattentively，IspeedilydiscoveredthattheAmericanshadmadegreatandsuccessfuleffortstocounteracttheseimperfectionsofhumannature，andtocorrectthenaturaldefectsofdemocracy。Theirdiversmunicipallawsappearedtometobeameansofrestrainingtheambitionofthecitizenswithinanarrowsphere，andofturningthosesamepassionswhichmighthaveworkedhavocintheState，tothegoodofthetownshiportheparish。TheAmericanlegislatorshavesucceededtoacertainextentinopposingthenotionofrightstothefeelingsofenvy;