Spirit of Laws (Volume 1)

Author(s)

• Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu

This audiobook covers Volume 1 (Books I to XIX) of "The Spirit of the Laws" (French: De "l'esprit des lois", also sometimes called "The Spirit of Laws"). Spirit of Laws 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. 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.

In this political treatise Montesquieu pleaded in favor of a constitutional system of government and the separation of powers, the ending of slavery, the preservation of civil liberties and the law, and the idea that political institutions ought to reflect the social and geographical aspects of each community. (Introduction by Wikipedia)

1. 01 - The Translator to the Reader
2. 02 - Preface
3. 03 - Advertisement
4. 04 - Book 1. Of Laws in General
5. 05 - Book 2. Of Laws Directly Derived from the Nature of Government
6. 06 - Book 3. Of the Principles of the Three Kinds of Government.
7. 07 - Book 4. That the Laws of Education Ought to Be in Relation to the Principles of Government
8. 08 - Book 5a. That the Laws Given by the Legislator Ought to Be in Relation to the Principle of Government
9. 09 - Book 5b. That the Laws Given by the Legislator Ought to Be in Relation to the Principle of Government
10. 10 - Book 6. Consequences of the Principles of Different Governments with respect to the Simplicity of Civil and Criminal Laws, and the Inflicting of Punishments
11. 11 - Book 7. Consequences of the Different Principles of the Three Governments with Respect to Sumptuary Laws, Luxury, and the Condition of Women.
12. 12 - Book 8. Of the Corruption of the Principles of the Three Governments
13. 13 - Book 9. Of Laws in the Relation they Bear to a Defensive Force
14. 14 - Book 10. Of Laws in the Relation they Bear to an Offensive Force
15. 15 - Book 11a. Of the Laws Which Establish Political Liberty With Regard to the Constitution
16. 16 - Book 11b. Of the Laws Which Establish Political Liberty With Regard to the Constitution
17. 17 - Book 12a. Of the Laws That Form Political Liberty, In Relation to the subject
18. 18 - Book 12b. Of the Laws That Form Political Liberty, In Relation to the subject
19. 19 - Book 13. Of the Relation which the Levying of Taxes and the Greatness of the Public Revenues Bear to Liberty.
20. 20 - Book 14. Of laws in relation to the nature of the climate
21. 21 - Book 15. In What Manner the Laws of Civil Slavery Relate to the Nature of the Climate
22. 22 - Book 16. How the Laws of Domestic Slavery bear a relation to the nature of the climate
23. 23 - Book 17. How the Laws of Political Servitude bear a relation to the nature of the climate.
24. 24 - Book 18. Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to the Nature of the Soil
25. 25 - Book 19. Of Laws in Relation to the Principles Which Form the General Spirit, the Morals, and Customs of a Nation