The Spirit of Laws is one of the most influential books of all
time. This masterpiece of political philosophy was widely read
throughout Europe, attracted an especially enthusiastic readership
in England, and had a profound effect on the framers of the
American Constitution. Montesquieu (1689-1755), already famous and
controversial through his Persian Letters, a work of his youth in
which he humorously satirized the foibles of French society, turned
in his later years to this serious treatise on the nature of law.
But though the subject itself was profound, this gravitas did not
inhibit the famous Montesquieu wit. Master of the pithy bon mot, he
managed to survey a great deal of political and philosophical
territory while keeping his readers charmed with memorable and
artfully turned phrases. "Liberty," he says, "consists in the
ability to do what one ought to desire and in not being forced to
do what one ought not to desire." Concerning the unpopularity of
the English in France, he says it is due to their arrogance, which
is such that even in peace "they seem to negotiate with none but
enemies."
The scope of this masterful work is truly prodigious. Montesquieu
explores the essentials of good government; compares and contrasts
despotism, monarchy, and democracy; and discusses the factors that
lead to corruption of governments. Among the many other topics
considered are education of the citizenry, crime and punishment,
abuse of power and of liberty, individual rights, taxation,
slavery, the role of women, the influence of climate on the temper
of a people and their form of government, commerce, religion, and a
host of additional subjects.
The Spirit of Laws is essential and genuinely enjoyable reading
for anyone interested in the development of democracy.
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