While Alexis de Tocqueville described America as the 'absolute democracy,' Karl Marx saw the nation as a 'defiled republic' so long as it permitted the enslavement of blacks. In this insightful political history, Nimtz argues that Marx and his partner, Frederick Engels, had a far more acute and insightful reading of American democracy than Tocqueville because they recognized that the overthrow of slavery and the cessation of racial oppression were central to its realization. Nimtz's account contrasts both the writings and the civil action of Tocqueville, Marx and Engels, noting that Marx and Engels actively mobilized the German-American community in opposition to the slavocracy prior to the Civil War, and that Marx heavily supported the Union cause. This potent and insightful investigation into the approaches of two major thinkers provides fresh insight into past and present debates about race and democracy in America.

"This book makes a series of important...claims concerning Marx and Marxism. . . . it is surely one of the most innovative and challenging defenses of Marzist theory in recent decades. Highly recommended." - CHOICE

"...this is a splendid book which every activist should read and learn from." - Socialist Review

"Bringing Marx's critical thoughts on race to bear on Tocqueville's vision of America as the "absolute democracy," this book focuses on the fascinating question of why Tocqueville and Marx saw America in such radically different ways. . . ..The author recounts with grace, passion, and impecable historical detail the unappreciated story of Marx's involvement in the cause of the American Civil War and his efforts in support of slavery. Marx's and Engels's struggle to mobilize German-American workers in support of abolition and the Union cause is a fascinating study in the role of ideas and political agency in history." - Perspectives on Politics