Tocqueville: The Ancien Regime and the French Revolution (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)

Cambridge, 2011 - 320 p. ISBN10: 0521718910 ISBN13: 9780521718912 This new translation of an undisputed classic aims to be both accurate and readable. Tocqueville's subtlety of style and profundity of thought offer a challenge to readers as well as to translators. As both a Tocqueville scholar and an award-winning translator, Arthur Goldhammer is uniquely qualified for the task. In his Introduction, Jon Elster draws on his recent work to lay out the structure of Tocqueville' argument. Readers will appreciate The Ancien Regime and the French Revolution for its sense of irony as well as tragedy, for its deep insights into political psychology, and for its impassioned defense of liberty. This New Translation Of An Undisputed Classic Aims To Be Both Accurate And Readable. Tocqueville's Subtlety Of Style And Profundity Of Thought Offer A Challenge To Readers As Well As To Translators. As Both A Tocqueville Scholar And An Award-winning Translator, Arthur Goldhammer Is Uniquely Qualified For The Task. In His Introduction, Jon Elster Draws On His Recent Work To Lay Out The Structure Of Tocqueville's Argument. Readers Will Appreciate The Ancien Régime And The French Revolution For Its Sense Of Irony As Well As Tragedy, For Its Deep Insights Into Political Psychology, And For Its Impassioned Defense Of Liberty-- Translated By Arthur Goldhammer ; Edited With An Introduction By Jon Elster. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. *L'Ancien Régime et la Révolution* (1856) is a work by the French historian Alexis de Tocqueville translated in English as either *The Old Regime and the Revolution* or *The Old Regime and the French Revolution*. The book analyzes French society before the French Revolution, the so-called "Ancien Régime", and investigates the forces that caused the Revolution. It is one of the major early historical works on the French Revolution. In this book, de Tocqueville develops his main theory about the French revolution, the theory of continuity, in which he states that even though the French tried to dissociate themselves from the past and from the autocratic old regime, they eventually reverted to a powerful central government. "This new translation of an undisputed classic aims to be both accurate and readable. Tocqueville's subtlety of style and profundity of thought offer a challenge to readers as well as to translators. As both a Tocqueville scholar and an award-winning translator, Arthur Goldhammer is uniquely qualified for the task. In his Introduction, Jon Elster draws on his recent work to lay out the structure of Tocqueville's argument. Readers will appreciate The Ancien Régime and the French Revolution for its sense of irony as well as tragedy, for its deep insights into political psychology, and for its impassioned defense of liberty"-- Provided by publisher