The American Democrat

<p>When The American Democrat was first published in 1838, Cooper's position as America's first major novelist obscured his serious contribution to the discussion of American principles and politics.</p> <p>"Yet Cooper," says H. L. Mencken, "was probably the first American to write about Americans in the really frank spirit . . . a simple, sound and sensible tract, moderate in tone and extraordinarily astute in its conclusions."</p> <p>Cooper provides a concise statement of the principles of American democracy and of its social ramifications. He was concerned that these principles and our institutions would be perverted-especially by the confusion of an equality of rights with equality of condition.</p>