[Democracy In America<br>Volume 1 (of 2) by Alexis de Toqueville]@TWC D-Link book
Democracy In America
Volume 1 (of 2)

CHAPTER VIII: The Federal Constitution--Part IV
14/18

An attentive observer will soon remark that the business of the Union is incomparably better conducted than that of any individual State.

The conduct of the Federal Government is more fair and more temperate than that of the States, its designs are more fraught with wisdom, its projects are more durable and more skilfully combined, its measures are put into execution with more vigor and consistency.
I recapitulate the substance of this chapter in a few words: The existence of democracies is threatened by two dangers, viz., the complete subjection of the legislative body to the caprices of the electoral body, and the concentration of all the powers of the Government in the legislative authority.

The growth of these evils has been encouraged by the policy of the legislators of the States, but it has been resisted by the legislators of the Union by every means which lay within their control.
Characteristics Which Distinguish The Federal Constitution Of The United States Of America From All Other Federal Constitutions American Union appears to resemble all other confederations--Nevertheless its effects are different--Reason of this--Distinctions between the Union and all other confederations--The American Government not a federal but an imperfect national Government.
The United States of America do not afford either the first or the only instance of confederate States, several of which have existed in modern Europe, without adverting to those of antiquity.

Switzerland, the Germanic Empire, and the Republic of the United Provinces either have been or still are confederations.

In studying the constitutions of these different countries, the politician is surprised to observe that the powers with which they invested the Federal Government are nearly identical with the privileges awarded by the American Constitution to the Government of the United States.


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