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energetic means of making the people rule； is also the most efficacious means of teaching it to rule well。
Chapter XVII： Principal Causes Maintaining The Democratic Republic … Part I
Principal Causes Which Tend To Maintain The Democratic Republic In The United States
A democratic republic subsists in the United States； and the principal object of this book has been to account for the fact of its existence。 Several of the causes which contribute to maintain the institutions of America have been involuntarily passed by or only hinted at as I was borne along by my subject。 Others I have been unable to discuss； and those on which I have dwelt most are； as it were； buried in the details of the former parts of this work。 I think； therefore； that before I proceed to speak of the future； I cannot do better than collect within a small compass the reasons which best explain the present。 In this retrospective chapter I shall be succinct； for I shall take care to remind the reader very summarily of what he already knows； and I shall only select the most prominent of those facts which I have not yet pointed out。
All the causes which contribute to the maintenance of the democratic republic in the United States are reducible to three heads： …
I。 The peculiar and accidental situation in which Providence has placed the Americans。
II。 The laws。
III。 The manners and customs of the people。
Accidental Or Providential Causes Which Contribute To The Maintenance Of The Democratic Republic In The United States The Union has no neighbors … No metropolis … The Americans have had the chances of birth in their favor … America an empty country … How this circumstance contributes powerfully to the maintenance of the democratic republic in America … How the American wilds are peopled … Avidity of the Anglo…Americans in taking possession of the solitudes of the New World …Influence of physical prosperity upon the political opinions of the Americans。
A thousand circumstances； independent of the will of man； concur to facilitate the maintenance of a democratic republic in the United States。 Some of these peculiarities are known； the others may easily be pointed out； but I shall confine myself to the most prominent amongst them。
The Americans have no neighbors； and consequently they have no great wars； or financial crises； or inroads； or conquest to dread； they require neither great taxes； nor great armies； nor great generals； and they have nothing to fear from a scourge which is more formidable to republics than all these evils combined； namely； military glory。 It is impossible to deny the inconceivable influence which military glory exercises upon the spirit of a nation。 General Jackson； whom the Americans have twice elected to the head of their Government； is a man of a violent temper and mediocre talents； no one circumstance in the whole course of his career ever proved that he is qualified to govern a free people； and indeed the majority of the enlightened classes of the Union has always been opposed to him。 But he was raised to the Presidency； and has been maintained in that lofty station； solely by the recollection of a victory which he gained twenty years ago under the walls of New Orleans； a victory which was； however； a very ordinary achievement； and which could only be remembered in a country where battles are rare。 Now the people which is thus carried away by the illusions of glory is unquestionably the most cold and calculating； the most unmilitary （if I may use the expression）； and the most prosaic of all the peoples of the earth。
America has no great capital *a city； whose influence is directly or indirectly felt over the whole extent of the country； which I hold to be one of the first causes of the maintenance of republican institutions in the United States。 In cities men cannot be prevented from concerting together； and from awakening a mutual excitement which prompts sudden and passionate resolutions。 Cities may be looked upon as large assemblies； of which all the inhabitants are members； their populace exercises a prodigious influence upon the magistrates； and frequently executes its own wishes without their intervention。
＇Footnote a： The United States have no metropolis； but they already contain several very large cities。 Philadelphia reckoned 161；000 inhabitants and New York 202；000 in the year 1830。 The lower orders which inhabit these cities constitute a rabble even more formidable than the populace of European towns。 They consist of freed blacks in the first place； who are condemned by the laws and by public opinion to a hereditary state of misery and degradation。 They also contain a multitude of Europeans who have been driven to the shores of the New World by their misfortunes or their misconduct； and these men inoculate the United States with all our vices； without bringing with them any of those interests which counteract their baneful influence。 As inhabitants of a country where they have no civil rights； they are ready to turn all the passions which agitate the community to their own advantage； thus； within the last few months serious riots have broken out in Philadelphia and in New York。 Disturbances of this kind are unknown in the rest of the country； which is nowise alarmed by them； because the population of the cities has hitherto exercised neither power nor influence over the rural districts。 Nevertheless； I look upon the size of certain American cities； and especially on the nature of their population； as a real danger which threatens the future security of the democratic republics of the New World； and I venture to predict that they will perish from this circumstance unless the government succeeds in creating an armed force； which； whilst it remains under the control of the majority of the nation； will be independent of the town population； and able to repress its excesses。
＇The population of the city of New York had risen； in 1870； to 942；292； and that of Philadelphia to 674；022。 Brooklyn； which may be said to form part of New York city； has a population of 396；099； in addition to that of New York。 The frequent disturbances in the great cities of America； and the excessive corruption of their local governments … over which there is no effectual control … are amongst the greatest evils and dangers of the country。＇＇
To subject the provinces to the metropolis is therefore not only to place the destiny of the empire in the hands of a portion of the community； which may be reprobated as unjust； but to place it in the hands of a populace acting under its own impulses； which must be avoided as dangerous。 The preponderance of capital cities is therefore a serious blow upon the representative system； and it exposes modern republics to the same defect as the republics of antiquity； which all perished from not having been acquainted with that form of government。
It would be easy for me to adduce a great number of secondary causes which have contributed to establish； and which concur to maintain； the democratic republic of the United States。 But I discern two principal circumstances amongst these favorable elements； which I hasten to point out。 I have already observed that the