Trailer: Tocqueville Road Trip

Summary

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Babbage from The Economist

Episode: Trailer: Tocqueville Road Trip
Release Date: June 23, 2026

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Episode Overview

This trailer for the new Economist series, "Tocqueville Road Trip," introduces listeners to host John Prideaux’s ambitious plan: retracing the 1831 journey of Alexis de Tocqueville through America. With the United States approaching its 250th birthday, the series intends to examine whether Tocqueville's vision of America—as described in his seminal book Democracy in America—still holds true today. The show promises in-depth conversations with Americans from all walks of life, providing a modern perspective on America’s evolving democracy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Tocqueville? [00:03–01:15]

• Superhero for Foreign Correspondents:
  John Prideaux introduces Tocqueville as “the nearest thing foreign correspondents have to a superhero,” highlighting the enduring value of Tocqueville’s observations.

• Historic Context:
  Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat, arrived in the US in 1831 when the country was “barely 50 years old" and not yet a global superpower.

• Mission:
  Tocqueville traveled across America for nine months, engaging with people from diverse backgrounds, documenting his insights in 14 notebooks and dozens of letters.

  “He set off on a nine-month road trip to figure out how it worked. He spoke to Americans from all walks of life.”
  — John Prideaux (00:38)

• The End Result:
  Tocqueville’s observations culminated in his foundational book, Democracy in America.

• Personal Connection:
  John Prideaux credits the book as “the single most insightful thing ever written about the United States.”

  “That book has been my companion since I first arrived in Washington as a correspondent 13 years ago.”
  — Washington Correspondent (01:15)

2. America as an Idea [01:15–01:36]

• America, according to Tocqueville, is “much more than a country. It was an idea,” one that has “the power to inspire followers and converts all over the planet, almost like a religion does.”

3. Modern Doubts & Re-examination [01:36–02:04]

• Faith in America Questioned:
  John Prideaux notes a growing disillusionment with America’s global leadership nearly two centuries after Tocqueville’s journey:

  “More and more people are questioning their faith in the United States and its right to lead the world.”
  — John Prideaux (01:40)

• A Contemporary Road Trip:
  To reassess Tocqueville’s vision, John embarks on a modern-day road trip, mirroring Tocqueville’s route and methodology—speaking with Americans across different segments of society.

4. Voices from Modern America [02:04–02:46]

• Diversity of American Experience:
  The trailer features clips from a broad spectrum of interviewees, illustrating the complexity and challenges of today’s America:
  • Diet Commentator on contemporary social change:

    “Oh, now everybody wants you to cut back. We’re all on a diet.” (02:11)

  • Prisoner reflecting on choices and learning:

    “We made choices, unfortunately, that let us hear right, but it’s also, we made choices to have us sitting in this room with y’all now. So we learning. And that’s America.” (02:19)

  • January 6th Committee witness’s pride:

    “I do have a framed subpoena from the January 6th Committee on my wall, which I’m very proud of.” (02:32)

  • Prisoner on the state of government facilities:

    “This holding cell had bugs. It had feces on the wall. It was nasty. It was really, really disgusting.” (02:40)

  • Critic on constitutional decline:

    “Well, the Constitution’s been thrown in a dumpster fire. It’s not even followed.” (02:46)

5. The Central Questions [02:55–03:11]

• Reflection & Doubt:
  As America nears its 250th birthday, John Prideaux asks:

  “Is the country he described in Democracy in America still there? Or has this great guidebook to the future passed its expiry date?”
  — John Prideaux (03:04)

6. Call to Listen [03:17–03:20]

• The episode closes by inviting listeners to search for "Tocqueville Road Trip" wherever they get their podcasts.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Tocqueville’s legacy:

  “For my money, it’s still the single most insightful thing ever written about the United States.”
  — John Prideaux (01:03)

• On America as an idea:

  “America was much more than a country. It was an idea. One with the power to inspire followers and converts all over the planet, almost like a religion does.”
  — Washington Correspondent (01:23)

• On learning from adversity:

  “We made choices, unfortunately, that let us hear right, but it’s also, we made choices to have us sitting in this room with y’all now. So we learning. And that’s America.”
  — Prisoner (02:19)

• On the state of American democracy:

  “Well, the Constitution’s been thrown in a dumpster fire. It’s not even followed.”
  — Government Critic (02:46)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:03: Introduction to Tocqueville’s journey and its context
• 01:15: Personal reflections from the Washington correspondent on Tocqueville’s book
• 01:36: Growing skepticism about America’s role and values today
• 02:04: Preview of contemporary voices from across America
• 02:55: Introduction of the series’ guiding questions
• 03:17: Instructions on how to listen to the full series

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Summary Insights

The “Tocqueville Road Trip” trailer eloquently bridges past and present, promising an exploration of U.S. identity, democracy, and societal transformation through the eyes of average Americans. By retracing Tocqueville’s footsteps and listening to today’s Americans, John Prideaux seeks to answer whether the foundational ideas and spirit observed in 1831 endure—or are now at risk—two centuries later. The trailer teases an engaging series of interviews and reflections that offer both historical context and present-day insight, making it an enticing listen for anyone interested in the American experiment.

Transcript

[John Prideaux]

Alexis de Tocqueville is the nearest thing foreign correspondents have to a superhero. He arrived in America on a boat

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

from France in May 1831.

[John Prideaux]

A young aristocrat on a mission. The US was still a long way off.

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

Being a superpower back then, it was barely 50 years old.

[John Prideaux]

But Tocqueville caught a glimpse of what it could become.

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

A new kind of society that would

[John Prideaux]

give the world a spectacle for which history had not prepared it.

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

A land with no kings or queens,

[John Prideaux]

where citizens made the rules. And so he set off on a nine month road trip to figure out how it worked. He spoke to Americans from all walks of life. He filled up 14 notebooks and dozens

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

of letters with his observations.

[John Prideaux]

Then he returned to France and wrote a book called Democracy in America. For my money, it's still the single

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

most insightful thing ever written about the United States. I'm John Prideaux, the US Editor for the Economist.

[Washington Correspondent]

That book has been my companion since I first arrived in Washington as a correspondent for 13 years ago. Tocqueville's big insight was that America was much more than a country. It was an idea. One with the power to inspire followers and converts all over the planet, almost like a religion does.

[John Prideaux]

But now, two centuries after Tocqueville, more

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

and more people are questioning their faith in the United States and its right to lead the world.

[John Prideaux]

To make sense of this change, I'm returning to Tocqueville to try to see this America through his eyes. For a new podcast series, I'm going on my own road trip, following the

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

route Tocqueville took,

[John Prideaux]

talking to Americans from

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

all walks of life, just like he did from New York's high society.

[Diet Commentator]

Oh, now everybody wants you to cut back. We're all on a diet.

[John Prideaux]

To prisoners in Sing Sing.

[Prisoner]

I made choices. We made choices, unfortunately, that let us hear right, but it's also, we made choices to have us sitting in this room with y' all now. So we learning. And that's America.

[Washington Correspondent]

And from acolytes of the President, I

[January 6th Committee Witness]

do have a framed subpoena from the January 6th Committee on my wall, which I'm very proud of.

[Washington Correspondent]

To victims of an unchecked government.

[Prisoner]

This holding cell had bugs. It had feces on the wall. It was nasty. It was really, really disgusting.

[Government Critic]

Well, the Constitution's been thrown in a dumpster fire. It's not even followed.

[John Prideaux]

I hope that following in Tocqueville's footsteps will help me figure out what's happened

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

to America as It reaches its 250th birthday.

[John Prideaux]

Is the country he described in Democracy in America still there? Or has this great guidebook to the

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

future passed its expiry date?

[Washington Correspondent]

To listen, search for Tocqueville Road Trip

[Narrator/John Prideaux]

wherever you get your podcasts.