托克维尔政治思想四讲
受英皇娱乐政府管理学院李强老师邀请，美国New Rochelle大学历史学教授、图书馆馆长 James T. Schleifer教授将于下周访问我校，并就托克维尔政治思想做四次演讲。
讲座
时间
1: “Tocqueville’s Democracy in America: An Overview”
5月24日（周一）14：00-17：00
2: “Tocqueville’s Journey Revisited: What Was Striking and New in America”
5月27日（周四）14：00-17：00
3:“Democracy and the Concentration of Power: Some Varieties of Democratic Despotism”
5月28日（周五）14：00-17：00
4:“Some Key Themes Reconsidered and Tocqueville’s Ways of Thinking and Writing”
5月31日（周一）14：00-17：00
地 点：英皇娱乐政府管理学院廖凯原楼127 主讲人：Prof. James T. Schleifer 工作语言：英语 个人简介：
James Schleifer教授在耶鲁大学获得历史系博士学位，目前是美国New Rochelle大学历史学教授、图书馆馆长。他曾担任巴黎大学、耶鲁大学访问教授。他以对托克维尔的长期深入研究而享誉国际学术界，是《美国的民主》（2009年新版）的英译者，受法国政府委托担任《托克维尔全集》国家编撰委员会委员（委员会中唯一的非法国学者）。他的代表作The Making of Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” 被译作多种语言，曾获得美国思想史领域最高荣誉“Merle Curti Prize”以及法国历史学会颁发的“Gilbert Chinard Incentive Award”。
附讲座简介及阅读书目：Abstracts for Lectures in Beijing, May-June 2010 Lecture #1: “Tocqueville’s Democracy in America: An Overview” This lecture serves as an introduction to Tocqueville’s famous work. It will begin with a very brief discussion of Tocqueville’s life, his journey to America, and his book. The major part of the lecture will present the key themes of Tocqueville’s book, including: (1) some of his basic ideas; (2) Tocqueville’s analysis of the major democratic dangers that threaten liberty (materialism, individualism and centralization); (3) and his proposed remedies for those dangers, including the “art of liberty” (legal, constitutional and institutional mechanisms that promote liberty) and the “habits of liberty” (inherited beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors that sustain liberty). The lecture will also introduce Tocqueville’s concepts of liberty and citizenship. It will conclude by reviewing the purposes of Tocqueville’s book and the reasons for its lasting reputation and appeal. Lecture #2: “Tocqueville’s Journey Revisited: What Was Striking and New in America” This lecture will discuss the importance of Tocqueville’s journey to the United States in 1831-1832 as a source for his book. It will present what Tocqueville learned in America and how the American experience changed his ideas. The lecture will focus on: (1) the varieties of equality; and (2) important safeguards against democratic excesses, including an independent judiciary, local liberties, associations, the doctrine of interest well understood, and the role of religion. The lecture will conclude by presenting Tocqueville’s view of American society as a model of a well-regulated democratic republic. Lecture #3:“Democracy and the Concentration of Power: Some Varieties of Democratic Despotism” This lecture will focus on the varieties of democratic despotism described by Tocqueville. It will (1) examine in more detail the connection between democracy and centralization; (2) raise Tocqueville’s question about where power would accumulate in democratic societies; and then (3) present his answers, his list of possible democratic despotisms, including: the omnipotent people; the legislative power; the governmental administration; one man alone; tyranny of the majority; an oppressive minority, such as a faction or a manufacturing aristocracy; military despotism; and especially the new, mild democratic despotism. Lecture #4:“Some Key Themes Reconsidered and Tocqueville’s Ways of Thinking and Writing” This lecture will (1) introduce Tocqueville’s various definitions of democracy, (2) present some of his fundamental convictions, and (3) briefly examine his understanding of the link between democracy and culture. The lecture will also discuss some of Tocqueville’s characteristic ways of thinking and writing.
阅读次数：
地 点：英皇娱乐政府管理学院廖凯原楼127 主讲人：Prof. James T. Schleifer 工作语言：英语 个人简介：
James Schleifer教授在耶鲁大学获得历史系博士学位，目前是美国New Rochelle大学历史学教授、图书馆馆长。他曾担任巴黎大学、耶鲁大学访问教授。他以对托克维尔的长期深入研究而享誉国际学术界，是《美国的民主》（2009年新版）的英译者，受法国政府委托担任《托克维尔全集》国家编撰委员会委员（委员会中唯一的非法国学者）。他的代表作The Making of Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America” 被译作多种语言，曾获得美国思想史领域最高荣誉“Merle Curti Prize”以及法国历史学会颁发的“Gilbert Chinard Incentive Award”。
附讲座简介及阅读书目：Abstracts for Lectures in Beijing, May-June 2010 Lecture #1: “Tocqueville’s Democracy in America: An Overview” This lecture serves as an introduction to Tocqueville’s famous work. It will begin with a very brief discussion of Tocqueville’s life, his journey to America, and his book. The major part of the lecture will present the key themes of Tocqueville’s book, including: (1) some of his basic ideas; (2) Tocqueville’s analysis of the major democratic dangers that threaten liberty (materialism, individualism and centralization); (3) and his proposed remedies for those dangers, including the “art of liberty” (legal, constitutional and institutional mechanisms that promote liberty) and the “habits of liberty” (inherited beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors that sustain liberty). The lecture will also introduce Tocqueville’s concepts of liberty and citizenship. It will conclude by reviewing the purposes of Tocqueville’s book and the reasons for its lasting reputation and appeal. Lecture #2: “Tocqueville’s Journey Revisited: What Was Striking and New in America” This lecture will discuss the importance of Tocqueville’s journey to the United States in 1831-1832 as a source for his book. It will present what Tocqueville learned in America and how the American experience changed his ideas. The lecture will focus on: (1) the varieties of equality; and (2) important safeguards against democratic excesses, including an independent judiciary, local liberties, associations, the doctrine of interest well understood, and the role of religion. The lecture will conclude by presenting Tocqueville’s view of American society as a model of a well-regulated democratic republic. Lecture #3:“Democracy and the Concentration of Power: Some Varieties of Democratic Despotism” This lecture will focus on the varieties of democratic despotism described by Tocqueville. It will (1) examine in more detail the connection between democracy and centralization; (2) raise Tocqueville’s question about where power would accumulate in democratic societies; and then (3) present his answers, his list of possible democratic despotisms, including: the omnipotent people; the legislative power; the governmental administration; one man alone; tyranny of the majority; an oppressive minority, such as a faction or a manufacturing aristocracy; military despotism; and especially the new, mild democratic despotism. Lecture #4:“Some Key Themes Reconsidered and Tocqueville’s Ways of Thinking and Writing” This lecture will (1) introduce Tocqueville’s various definitions of democracy, (2) present some of his fundamental convictions, and (3) briefly examine his understanding of the link between democracy and culture. The lecture will also discuss some of Tocqueville’s characteristic ways of thinking and writing.
阅读次数：