The Spirit of the Laws (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Montesquieu
- First Published: 1748
- Type of Work: Politics
- Genres: Nonfiction, Politics
- Subjects: Politics, France or French people, Religion, Law or legislation, Eighteenth century, Political science, Economics, Politicians, Government, Democracy, Monarchy
Critical Evaluation:
In terms of its practical effect, The Spirit of the Laws is perhaps the most important political science book ever written. It was one of the primary sources of the United States Constitution and, through that document, one of the major influences on the development of democratic institutions in Europe during and after the French Revolution. All this is out of proportion to Montesquieu’s objectives in writing the book, which were to analyze the various types of political institutions known throughout the world throughout history. Montesquieu also...
[The entire page is 1707 words long]
