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552 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2012
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About the author
Montesquieu
1,301 books472 followersCharles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu, generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French social commentator and political thinker who lived during the Enlightenment. He is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers, which is taken for granted in modern discussions of government and implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. He was largely responsible for the popularization of the terms "feudalism" and "Byzantine Empire."
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 8, 2018
De l’Esprit des Lois
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
The author wrote this work in 1748.
The aim of his study is not the actual letter of laws but the origin and meaning of them.
Montesquieu never left France, but with his extensive knowledge of history, he provides the reader with the opportunity to travel the world in a most colourful voyage.
From Ancient China, Egypt, Persia, India, Greece and Rome and subsequently to Europe and France.
From the “Law of the strongest” at the beginning of human life on this planet, as soon as families gathered forming tribes and communities, it became necessary to establish rules for a balance among strong and weak individuals.
Law would have evolved from Natural or Divine Law, to become the peoples or Civil law and further on Political law.
The laws of Government including the powers offensive and defensive laws; of freedom and liberty; of effects by Climat and particular global situations; of trade and industry and of the general spirit of the Nations; of the different religions of the world; of tolerance; of marriage and of polygamy and monogamy; on of laws on inheritance;
Abundant historical literature provided our author with a rich bibliography.
Montesquieu quotes Plutarch, Plato, Aristoteles, Denis of Halicarnassus, Ciceron, Cesar, Pliney and many others.
Then he compares the different kinds of government:
Republican with the people as a whole being the ruler; by love for Democracy, Equality and Virtue.
Monarchy with the King or Prince being the legislator; by rules of Honour.
Our author living under Louis XV describes this kind of government extensively.
He made a prophetic statement.
A King should never rule as one man surrounded by all his councillors instead of a government; this was exactly the situation of Louis XVI at the moment of the revolution of 1789.
Tyranny when a despot is dominating a country by his power and whim; he rules by Fear.
The political laws in detail make up half of the first book.
We read a short biography of travels and conquests of Alexander the Great.
Montesquieu often gives his personal thoughts about religion, the subject being delicate in his time and he could not avoid censure getting hold of his work.
The Sorbonne censured 19 of his propositions in 1754 for several reasons; of heresy against the Catholic religion; on tolerance; on celibacy and marriage; on polygamy; on climate and other scientific statements. Our author in this book includes his defence against these accusations.
Book 1 is about the origins of Law in general. Like Darwin’s “Origin of the Species”.
Book 2 is about the origins of Law in France.
Our author never loses sight of his main subject, the Law, but he gives the reader an extensive and erudite course of history in Europe and especially of France.
He must have read a rare bibliography from the dark Middle Ages onwards, to gather the historical facts.
Modern citizens of France descend from the Francs, a Germanic tribe that invaded the country of the Gauls, at the time already occupied by Romans, under Clovis.
This original barbarian population of France did not have its own written language and did therefore not have written laws.
It is only after Roman Laws by Justinian were rediscovered in 1137, and Saint Louis had translations made that Roman Law was becoming used in France.
Before that, rulings would be traditional and tribal. Basic, brutal, but without injustice. They did not have punishments other than financial or in-kind arrangements to settle crimes committed.
Historical events are taking up the greater part of book 2 detailing the ruling of King after King and Monarchy after Monarchy down to the Norman invasions and the great revolution.
Montesquieu is also making the reader aware of the enormous power and influence of the Christian Church during these Monarchies.
According to our author, the church was handed several times over the entire riches and fortune of the Kingdom by one King, only to have it taken back by his successor and the same would happen over and over again.
The last chapters are large considerations of the use and evolution of “fiefdoms” during the successive Monarchies.
Montesquieu concludes his work with the statement that from the time these fiefdoms became an inheritance and therewith perpetual that the Political Monarchy came to an end.
Feodal Government came into existence, and the crown passed on to the House of Hugues Capet.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend this work to any reader interested in the subject of
“The Origin of Law” and anyone wanting to improve his knowledge of the history of France.
Montesquieu (1689-1755)
The author wrote this work in 1748.
The aim of his study is not the actual letter of laws but the origin and meaning of them.
Montesquieu never left France, but with his extensive knowledge of history, he provides the reader with the opportunity to travel the world in a most colourful voyage.
From Ancient China, Egypt, Persia, India, Greece and Rome and subsequently to Europe and France.
From the “Law of the strongest” at the beginning of human life on this planet, as soon as families gathered forming tribes and communities, it became necessary to establish rules for a balance among strong and weak individuals.
Law would have evolved from Natural or Divine Law, to become the peoples or Civil law and further on Political law.
The laws of Government including the powers offensive and defensive laws; of freedom and liberty; of effects by Climat and particular global situations; of trade and industry and of the general spirit of the Nations; of the different religions of the world; of tolerance; of marriage and of polygamy and monogamy; on of laws on inheritance;
Abundant historical literature provided our author with a rich bibliography.
Montesquieu quotes Plutarch, Plato, Aristoteles, Denis of Halicarnassus, Ciceron, Cesar, Pliney and many others.
Then he compares the different kinds of government:
Republican with the people as a whole being the ruler; by love for Democracy, Equality and Virtue.
Monarchy with the King or Prince being the legislator; by rules of Honour.
Our author living under Louis XV describes this kind of government extensively.
He made a prophetic statement.
A King should never rule as one man surrounded by all his councillors instead of a government; this was exactly the situation of Louis XVI at the moment of the revolution of 1789.
Tyranny when a despot is dominating a country by his power and whim; he rules by Fear.
The political laws in detail make up half of the first book.
We read a short biography of travels and conquests of Alexander the Great.
Montesquieu often gives his personal thoughts about religion, the subject being delicate in his time and he could not avoid censure getting hold of his work.
The Sorbonne censured 19 of his propositions in 1754 for several reasons; of heresy against the Catholic religion; on tolerance; on celibacy and marriage; on polygamy; on climate and other scientific statements. Our author in this book includes his defence against these accusations.
Book 1 is about the origins of Law in general. Like Darwin’s “Origin of the Species”.
Book 2 is about the origins of Law in France.
Our author never loses sight of his main subject, the Law, but he gives the reader an extensive and erudite course of history in Europe and especially of France.
He must have read a rare bibliography from the dark Middle Ages onwards, to gather the historical facts.
Modern citizens of France descend from the Francs, a Germanic tribe that invaded the country of the Gauls, at the time already occupied by Romans, under Clovis.
This original barbarian population of France did not have its own written language and did therefore not have written laws.
It is only after Roman Laws by Justinian were rediscovered in 1137, and Saint Louis had translations made that Roman Law was becoming used in France.
Before that, rulings would be traditional and tribal. Basic, brutal, but without injustice. They did not have punishments other than financial or in-kind arrangements to settle crimes committed.
Historical events are taking up the greater part of book 2 detailing the ruling of King after King and Monarchy after Monarchy down to the Norman invasions and the great revolution.
Montesquieu is also making the reader aware of the enormous power and influence of the Christian Church during these Monarchies.
According to our author, the church was handed several times over the entire riches and fortune of the Kingdom by one King, only to have it taken back by his successor and the same would happen over and over again.
The last chapters are large considerations of the use and evolution of “fiefdoms” during the successive Monarchies.
Montesquieu concludes his work with the statement that from the time these fiefdoms became an inheritance and therewith perpetual that the Political Monarchy came to an end.
Feodal Government came into existence, and the crown passed on to the House of Hugues Capet.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend this work to any reader interested in the subject of
“The Origin of Law” and anyone wanting to improve his knowledge of the history of France.
July 24, 2011
J'ai beau eu faire de mon mieux pour me préparer à cette lecture, j'aurais pu faire mieux. Ce que je regrette le plus, c'est sans doute d'avoir négligé Grégoire de Tours, mais il n'est pas trop tard pour réparer cela. Il m'a semblé que Tite Live est la lecture préalable la plus profitable, pour ne pas être trop désorienté, car Montesquieu glisse sur chaque idée, en supposant que chacune de ses allusions sont bien connues du lecteur. L'auteur fait de chaque phrase une maxime, utilise toutes les ficelles de la rhétorique pour rendre plaisant un sujet somme toute aride. Le lecteur est toujours en danger de se laisser aller à contempler la beauté d'une formule plus qu'à réfléchir au fond, l'ouvrage se lit d'une traite, quasiment sans efforts. Notre philosophe prend toujours de la hauteur par rapport au sujet, soit en embrassant tout les climats, tous les peuples du globe, soit en remontant à la racine, aux premiers fondements des lois. Si on peut être rétif à la curieuse théorie des climats, fondé sur l'examen au microscope d'une langue de mouton gelé (sic), on est marqué par la volonté de faire preuve le plus possible usage de la raison avant que d'être la victime d'un préjugé. On y sent le ton de sincérité qui sépare les vrais citoyens de la république des lettres des usurpateurs. L'incroyable et injuste acharnement de Montesquieu contre l'Espagne, alors qu'il est par ailleurs capable de beaucoup de discernement , vient borner la bonne opinion que l'on forme à son sujet. Aucun trait n'est assez mordant pour assouvir sa rage. La grande érudition qui est la sienne fait que la qualité des résultats qu'il obtient est fonction de la probité de ses sources. Une excellente lecture!
October 2, 2016
هذا الكتاب قديم جدا يبلغ من العمر أكثر من مائتين وخمسين سنة، حيث صدر عام 1784م، ولذلك فهو يحتاج لصبر طويل في القراءة، بسب قدمه من ناحية وبسب طوله الشديد من ناحية أخري، وبسبب جفاف موضوعه مرة ثالثة.
في الجزء الثاني الذي جاوزت صفحاته الخمسمائة وستين صفحة، يبدأ الحديث عن التجارة وروح التجارة، والتجارة في الحكومات الديمقراطية والملكية والمستبدة، وعن الشعوب التي مارست التجارة قديما كبريطانيا، وتحدث عن قوانين حرية التجارة، وتحدث عن اكتشاف الأمريكتين وأثر هذا الاكتشاف في التجارة العالمية وقوانينها.
تحدث عن القوانين التي ترتبط بالدين القائم في كل بلد، ذكر فيه أن الحكومة المعتدلة أكثر ملاءمة للنصرانية، والحكومة المستبدة أكثر ملاءمة للإسلام.
كثير جدا من الموضوعات التي يستحيل حصر مجرد عناوينها في تعليق علي كتاب لذلك نكتفي بما كتبناه.
في الجزء الثاني الذي جاوزت صفحاته الخمسمائة وستين صفحة، يبدأ الحديث عن التجارة وروح التجارة، والتجارة في الحكومات الديمقراطية والملكية والمستبدة، وعن الشعوب التي مارست التجارة قديما كبريطانيا، وتحدث عن قوانين حرية التجارة، وتحدث عن اكتشاف الأمريكتين وأثر هذا الاكتشاف في التجارة العالمية وقوانينها.
تحدث عن القوانين التي ترتبط بالدين القائم في كل بلد، ذكر فيه أن الحكومة المعتدلة أكثر ملاءمة للنصرانية، والحكومة المستبدة أكثر ملاءمة للإسلام.
كثير جدا من الموضوعات التي يستحيل حصر مجرد عناوينها في تعليق علي كتاب لذلك نكتفي بما كتبناه.
February 27, 2018
يتحول مونتسيكيو فى هذا الجزء إلى تاريخ القوانين الاقتصادية فى مطلع الكتاب ثم إلى قضاء الإقطاعات المختلفة ونشأة النظام الإقطاعى فى أوروبا وتطوراته وتنوعاته من حيث الاقطاعات الخاصة والملكية والكنسية .
ومحور تطور الأحداث فى هذا الكتاب هو زمن العصور المظلمة فى أوروبا فترة إنهيار الامبراطورية الرومانية إثر هجمات البرابرة الشماليين من القوط والبورغون والواندال والساكسون والنورمان والجرمان وغيرهم كثيرون مما فتت الامبراطورية ومزج قوانينها وعاداتها بعادات وقوانين الهمج فهكذا اختلطت روح الهمجية بروح الحضارة وإن بدت كل منهما -أثناء فترة تعارفهم- فى زى الأخرى .
فنجد قائمة طويلة من اسماء ملوك وأباطرة هذه الحقبة ممن اسهموا فى ترسيخ روح القوانين فى ممالكهم وبين شعوبهم وطبقاته المختلفة لتستقر فيهم على مدار قرون تالية . فنجد أغسطس طويل الحكم يوحد مملكته ويستأثر بالسلطة ليوطد قوانينه وقسطنطين وبيبين ومنحهم السخية للكنيسة وقوانين العشور لشارلمان وجوستنيان وألواح قوانينه الإثنى عشر وغيرهم كثيرين ممن مهدوا لروح الشرائع طريقا بين بنى البشر .
ومحور تطور الأحداث فى هذا الكتاب هو زمن العصور المظلمة فى أوروبا فترة إنهيار الامبراطورية الرومانية إثر هجمات البرابرة الشماليين من القوط والبورغون والواندال والساكسون والنورمان والجرمان وغيرهم كثيرون مما فتت الامبراطورية ومزج قوانينها وعاداتها بعادات وقوانين الهمج فهكذا اختلطت روح الهمجية بروح الحضارة وإن بدت كل منهما -أثناء فترة تعارفهم- فى زى الأخرى .
فنجد قائمة طويلة من اسماء ملوك وأباطرة هذه الحقبة ممن اسهموا فى ترسيخ روح القوانين فى ممالكهم وبين شعوبهم وطبقاته المختلفة لتستقر فيهم على مدار قرون تالية . فنجد أغسطس طويل الحكم يوحد مملكته ويستأثر بالسلطة ليوطد قوانينه وقسطنطين وبيبين ومنحهم السخية للكنيسة وقوانين العشور لشارلمان وجوستنيان وألواح قوانينه الإثنى عشر وغيرهم كثيرين ممن مهدوا لروح الشرائع طريقا بين بنى البشر .
May 20, 2024
Mis à part les aspects religieux de cet ouvrage, j’ai assez apprécié ma lecture. Je regrette simplement d’avoir pris tant de temps à lire cette deuxième partie, puisque malheureusement, je ne me souviens plus de tous les points qui avaient été abordés dans le premier volume. J’ai également assez apprécié la "défense" de l’ouvrage qui se trouve à la toute fin. Cette partie est très intéressante également, même si, elle n’a pas était écrite par Montesquieu en personne.
April 10, 2016
Du même niveau que le premier volume. Le dernier livre sur les lois du moyen-âge est peut-être de trop. D'ailleurs je crois qu'il n'existait pas dans la première version
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April 26, 2016كتاب جيد ومليء بالتفاصيل المهمة لكن الاستفادة منها تتطلب معرف كبيرة بتواريخ أوروبا وتحديداً فرنسا
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