The future of democracy in the United States concerns people across today's political spectrum. But how have we gotten here? Like today, the nature of democracy and its place in U.S. politics has been debated since the nation's founding. We will look at how democracy has been defined and revised over the past two and a half centuries from the Founders' deep suspicions and the Civil War's reshaping to the impact of both World War I and World War II. To put today's debates in context, we will also explore what perceptive outsiders such as Alexis de Tocqueville (from whom the course title is borrowed) and James Bryce have had to say about the American "experiment."

Chris Kimball (PhD) is Professor Emeritus of History at California Lutheran University. His undergraduate degree is from McGill University and his master’s and doctoral degrees are from The University of Chicago. He previously served as California Lutheran University’s seventh president (2008-2020) after two years as provost and vice president for academic affairs. Specializing in U.S. history, he has taught on subjects such as the Civil War, U.S. Foreign Relations, the history of sport, the history of American cities, and legal issues in higher education.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50+ years of age, seeking intellectual stimulation through university level courses (without the pressure of grades) for the sake of learning and social engagement.

These lectures can be attended online via Zoom or in-person at our Thousand Oaks campus.