SOURCE: A review of The American Democracy, in Ethics, Vol. 59, 1948, pp. 61-3.

In the following essay, Wright reviews The American Democracy.

On the jacket of Professor Laski's book [The American Democracy: A Commentary and an Interpretation] the publishers have printed these words: "In 1838 Tocqueville: Democracy in America: In 1888 Bryce: The American Commonwealth: In 1948 Laski:The American Democracy." Now the fact is that Tocqueville's book did not appea r in 1838. The first part appeared in 1835, the second in 1840. This is a trifling inaccuracy which would not be worth mentioning if the new work fitted into the indicated pattern. I think it does not, except in coverage and in intention. But it is not a new Tocqueville, much less a new Bryce. It is an old Laski.

The scope of the book is vast, but there is relatively little of the solid, clearly set forth information that one finds in...