Individualism Revisited

The consequences of American individualism have been a principal subject for observers of this nation since Tocqueville. What connections can be traced between our individualistic ethos and social practices? How does individualism contribute to or hinder the democratic process? Is it possible that individualism can proceed too far and begin to rip apart the country’s social fabric? These questions are as enduring in American intellectual life as the ethic of self-reliance in the culture...