Alexis de Tocqueville, a French civil servant from an aristocratic family, wrote Democracy in America following a nine month visit to the in 1831-32. He writes extensively about the American phenomenon of forming "associations" of all types including professional, social, civil, and political. He believed that associations extended democracy beyond the scope of elected offices, to the level of people who share a common interest around which they effect action for large groups of people. By forming and joining associations, Americans are casting a sort of ballot about the issues which are important to them, their families, and their communities. This briefing paper gives an overview of de Tocquevilles study of the American phenomenon of associationsﾝ and offers a perspective on the philanthropic sector in the today that validates de Tocqueville's analysis.

[The author of this paper, John Huebler, is a graduate student at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. He developed this paper through a Philanthropic Studies course at Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University which is offered by Learning To Give of the Council of Michigan Foundations and Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.]

This briefing paper gives an overview of Alexis de Tocquevilles study of the American phenomenon of associationsﾝ and offers a perspective on the philanthropic sector in the today that validates de Tocqueville's analysis.