The questions and issues raised by Tocqueville in his monumental studies of France and America are just as crucial for understanding the evolution of democracy in the West and the development of democracy in the nonwestern world. They clearly show the breadth of Tocquevilles contributions to the development of modern social sciences. Among the questions addressed by Tocqueville were How does the weight of the past affect the evolution of political institutions and political behavior What impact do differences in physical environment have on the organization of society What are the relationships between social equality freedom and democracy To what extent does centralization destroy the capacity for local initiative and selfgovernance What conditions are needed to nurture the flourishing of selfgoverning communities What safeguards are needed to preserve freedom and to prevent incipient democracies from becoming dictatorships Why has democracy had such a problem taking hold in many parts of the nonwestern world How should one study democracy in nonwestern settings Tocquevillian analytics can help us provide answers.