The Spirit of the Laws is a treatise on political theory, as well as a pioneering work in comparative law, published in 1748 by Montesquieu. Originally published anonymously, partly because Montesquieu’s works were subject to censorship, its influence outside France was aided by its rapid translation into other languages. In 1751 the Roman Catholic Church added De l’esprit des lois to its Index Librorum Prohibitorum. Yet Montesquieu’s 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.
About the author
Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (1689-1755), generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French judge, man of letters, and political philosopher. He is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. He is also known for doing more than any other author to secure the place of the word ‘despotism’ in the political lexicon.
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