The author reports on social and political life in the United States after an extended visit, arguing that widespread equality of conditions shapes institutions, habits, and laws. He analyzes constitutional arrangements, federalism, the judiciary, political parties, the press, associations, and local government, and considers how democratic customs produce both civic advantages and risks, notably the potential tyranny of the majority. The study compares democratic tendencies with European developments, examines causes that sustain democratic republicanism, and reflects on the likely trajectories of different social groups under enduring equality.