Montesquieu - De l'Esprit des Lois - 1769

Complete 18th century collection in 4/4 volume and illustrated with 2 large fold-out maps included in the book (see attached photos).

Montesquieu's *The Spirit of the Laws*, published in 1748, is a major work of the 18th century that profoundly influenced political and legal thought. In it, Montesquieu explores the fundamental principles that govern laws and institutions, highlighting the diversity of factors that shape them.

According to Montesquieu, laws are not solely the product of human will, but result from multiple interconnected causes. He identifies physical factors, such as climate, and moral factors, such as religion, customs, and traditions, that influence the nature of laws. This approach leads to the notion of a nation's "general spirit," that is, the set of cultural, social, and environmental characteristics that determine the type of government and laws appropriate to a given society.
ref: BnF Essentials


Montesquieu paid particular attention to the influence of climate on societies. He argued that climate could affect the temperament of people, which, in turn, influenced their laws and institutions. For example, he suggested that cold climates fostered more vigorous and courageous people, while hot climates produced more sensitive individuals prone to weakness.
Philosophy assignment

Montesquieu's work had a significant impact on the formation of modern constitutions, notably that of the United States and the French Constitution of 1791. His theory of the separation of powers – executive, legislative, and judicial – has become a fundamental principle in many contemporary democracies.

However, The Spirit of the Laws also attracted criticism. Some Enlightenment philosophers reproached Montesquieu for his conservatism and his attachment to aristocratic privileges. Other criticisms came from the Church, which opposed his tendency to explain religious institutions by natural and social factors, rather than by divine causes.
BnF Exhibitions


In short, The Spirit of the Laws is a complex work that seeks to understand laws and institutions through a multidimensional analysis of human societies. It remains an essential reference in the study of political philosophy and law.



From The Spirit of the Laws, with philosophical and political remarks by an anonymous author, which have not yet been published

2 Large fold-out maps to help understand the book entitled "The Spirit of the Laws".

Paginations
Volume 1: cxlviii + 430 pages - fold-out map for understanding the book entitled The Spirit of the Laws by Mr. Robert de Vaugond + supplement for the map entitled The Spirit of the Laws by Mr. Robert de Vaugond.
Volume 2: tables + 362 pages.
Volume 3: tables + 440 pages.
Volume 4: 574 pages: table of contents + 329 pages.

Full leather bindings of the period, format "17 x 10 cm", spine with raised bands decorated, title piece, red edges, volume numbers, very fine examples of the 18th century, complete collection in 4/4 volume (see attached photos).

The photos are complementary to the description.

A very fine example from the 18th century.
Shipment with a tracking number for international.