Abstract

This thesis explores Alexis de Tocqueville's theory of democratic armies through the lens of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), testing his predictions about how democratic social conditions influence military institutions and performance. Tocqueville argued that armies in democratic societies would face tensions between egalitarian ideals and military discipline, with citizen-soldiers resisting hierarchy while professional officers, often isolated from civil society, grew dangerously ambitious for war. He predicted that democratic armies would show energetic initiative but struggle with weak formal discipline, and that equality would fundamentally change the relationship between the military and the broader society. The Mexican-American War serves as an ideal case study, occurring just a decade after Democracy in America and representing the U.S.'s first major conflict since Tocqueville's insights. Using soldiers' letters, diaries, and memoirs, this study examines both the volunteer forces, which most closely embodied the citizen-soldier ideal, and the developing professional regular army. The findings reveal a complex reality. Predictably, according to Tocqueville, volunteers showed patriotic enthusiasm and also faced serious disciplinary issues and committed atrocities against civilians. However, regular army officers formed an unexpected professional identity rooted not in aristocratic separation but in humble, self-reflective, politically neutral service to democratic institutions. The thesis argues that while Tocqueville correctly identified key tensions in democratic military culture, he underestimated the disruptive effects of partisan politics and the capacity of democracy to foster new forms of military professionalism. The Mexican-American War sparked the rise of a uniquely American military ethos that blends professional expertise with democratic responsibility. This research enhances understanding of civil-military relations by showing how social conditions shape military institutions and highlights democracy's capacity to adapt and create innovative solutions to its inherent contradictions.

Date of publication

Winter 12-13-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Language

english

Persistent identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4898

Committee members

Dr. Amanda Link, Dr. Colin Snider, Dr. Matthew Stith

Degree

Masters in History

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