Postmodern prophet: Tocqueville visits Vegas

Article Abstract:

Alexis de Tocqueville showed great foresight, but he would still find much of contemporary society in the US surprising. In the case of Las Vegas, NV, Tocqueville would not be taken totally by surprise, as he believed that US commercial society had emancipated the love of money. It is particularly interesting that Tocqueville predicted Las Vegas as a cultural phenomenon. It can be argued that Las Vegas is the most complete embodiment of Tocqueville's cultural vision of the US as a democratically inspired and inexpensive version of Europe. Las Vegas can be seen as being as much a monument to US extravagance as a monument to the derivative nature of US culture.

Social aspects, Las Vegas, Nevada

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Reflections on the collapse of communism

Article Abstract:

Alexis de Tocqueville's views in 'Democracy in America' about what drives history provide a useful background to an investigation of the reasons for the collapse of communism. Many different reasons have been put forward, but Poles believe that it was in their country that communism collapsed in the most significant way. A key issue in Poland following the collapse of communism was the conflict over the correct place of the Church in a democratic state. It is useful to return to Tocqueville when considering the future of the democratic order in Poland.

Poland, Political aspects, Democracy

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