The Spirit of the Laws
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| '''''The Spirit of Laws''''' (French: ''L'esprit des lois'') is a [[treatise]] on [[political theory]] first published anonymously by [[Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu]] in [[1748]] with the help of [[Claudine Guérin de Tencin]]. Originally published anonymously partly because Montesquieu's works were subject to censorship, its influence outside of France was aided by its rapid translation into other languages. In 1750 Thomas Nugent published the first English translation. In 1751 the [[Catholic Church]] added ''L'esprit des loix'' to its [[Index Librorum Prohibitorum]] ("List of Prohibited Books"). Yet Montesquieu's political treatise had an enormous influence on the work of many others, most notably: [[Catherine the Great]], who produced ''[[Nakaz]]'' (''Instruction''); the [[Founding Fathers of the United States#Constitutional Convention delegates|Founding Fathers]] of the [[United States Constitution]]; and [[Alexis de Tocqueville]], who applied Montesquieu's methods to a study of [[United States|American]] society, in ''[[Democracy in America]]''. | '''''The Spirit of Laws''''' (French: ''L'esprit des lois'') is a [[treatise]] on [[political theory]] first published anonymously by [[Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu]] in [[1748]] with the help of [[Claudine Guérin de Tencin]]. Originally published anonymously partly because Montesquieu's works were subject to censorship, its influence outside of France was aided by its rapid translation into other languages. In 1750 Thomas Nugent published the first English translation. In 1751 the [[Catholic Church]] added ''L'esprit des loix'' to its [[Index Librorum Prohibitorum]] ("List of Prohibited Books"). Yet Montesquieu's political treatise had an enormous influence on the work of many others, most notably: [[Catherine the Great]], who produced ''[[Nakaz]]'' (''Instruction''); the [[Founding Fathers of the United States#Constitutional Convention delegates|Founding Fathers]] of the [[United States Constitution]]; and [[Alexis de Tocqueville]], who applied Montesquieu's methods to a study of [[United States|American]] society, in ''[[Democracy in America]]''. | ||
| - | Montesquieu spent nearly twenty years researching and writing ''L'esprit des lois'' (''The Spirit of the Laws''), covering a wide range of topics in politics, the law, sociology, and anthropology and providing more than 3,000 citations.<ref name=Cohleretal>Cohler, et al., "Introduction" to the 1989 Cambridge UP ed.</ref> In this political treatise Montesquieu advocates constitutionalism and the separation of powers, the abolition of slavery, the preservation of civil liberties and the rule of law, and the idea that political and legal institutions ought to reflect the social and geographical character of each particular community.<ref name=Cohleretal/> | + | Montesquieu spent nearly twenty years researching and writing ''L'esprit des lois'' (''The Spirit of the Laws''), covering a wide range of topics in politics, the law, sociology, and anthropology and providing more than 3,000 citations. In this political treatise Montesquieu advocates constitutionalism and the separation of powers, the abolition of slavery, the preservation of civil liberties and the rule of law, and the idea that political and legal institutions ought to reflect the social and geographical character of each particular community. |
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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The Spirit of Laws (French: L'esprit des lois) is a treatise on political theory first published anonymously by Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu in 1748 with the help of Claudine Guérin de Tencin. Originally published anonymously partly because Montesquieu's works were subject to censorship, its influence outside of France was aided by its rapid translation into other languages. In 1750 Thomas Nugent published the first English translation. In 1751 the Catholic Church added L'esprit des loix to its Index Librorum Prohibitorum ("List of Prohibited Books"). Yet Montesquieu's political treatise had an enormous influence on the work of many others, most notably: Catherine the Great, who produced Nakaz (Instruction); the Founding Fathers of the United States Constitution; and Alexis de Tocqueville, who applied Montesquieu's methods to a study of American society, in Democracy in America.
Montesquieu spent nearly twenty years researching and writing L'esprit des lois (The Spirit of the Laws), covering a wide range of topics in politics, the law, sociology, and anthropology and providing more than 3,000 citations. In this political treatise Montesquieu advocates constitutionalism and the separation of powers, the abolition of slavery, the preservation of civil liberties and the rule of law, and the idea that political and legal institutions ought to reflect the social and geographical character of each particular community.
See also
