On the Spirit of the Laws (Part 2)

Author: Montesquieu (Charles-Louis de Secondat)
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Montesquieu (1689-1755) was an outstanding French Enlightenment thinker in the first half of the 18th century. The Spirit of the Laws is one of his major works. This book was published in 1784; it is the final result of Montesquieu's lifelong research; it summarizes his theories, with more extensive content, a more complete and rigorous system, and is one of his most important and most influential works; it is a comprehensive political treatise after Aristotle; and it is the most progressive political theory book of his time. The main content of this book:
① Definition of law, the relationship between law and the state, types of governments and their respective principles (Chapters 1-10).
② The theory of political freedom and separation of powers, with the British example (Chapters 11-13).
③ The theory of the relationship between geography and politics and various deductions (Chapters 14-19).
④ Issues such as industry, commerce, population, and religion (Chapters 20-25).
⑤ Changes in Roman and French law, feudal legal theory (Chapters 27-28, 30-31).
⑥ General conclusions (Chapters 26-29).
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