The Spirit of Laws — cover

The Spirit of Laws

Montesquieu
Separation of powers, checks and balances — the blueprint for constitutional government.

Why this book matters

The book that taught the Founders how to build a republic — Montesquieu's The Spirit of Laws is the invisible architecture behind modern democracy.

Read the full Impact essay →
The Spirit of Laws
Montesquieu · Book 1: Of Laws in General
Free Audiobook · Book 1: Of Laws in General 0:00 / —

Montesquieu: The Spirit of Laws (1748) Page 9 BOOK 1 Of Laws in General 1. Of the Relation of Laws to different Beings. Laws, in their most general signification, are the necessary relations arising from the nature of things. In this sense all beings have…

💬 Books4Free AI Study Assistant
YOU Why does The Spirit of Laws matter?
AI The book that taught the Founders how to build a republic — Montesquieu's The Spirit of Laws is the invisible architecture behind modern democracy.

Read or Listen to The Spirit of Laws on Books4Free

Every chapter free to read. Free audio narration on the opening chapter. Plus an AI study assistant that knows the book.

Open in Books4Free → Download PDF, Kindle and other formats from Project Gutenberg ↗

Table of contents

  1. Front Matter (Title, TOC, Preface)Contents
  2. Book 1: Of Laws in GeneralFree
  3. Book 2: Of Laws Derived from the Nature of GovernmentFree
  4. Book 3: Of the Principles of the Three Kinds of GovernmentFree
  5. Book 4: Laws of Education and GovernmentFree
  6. Book 5: Laws Given by the LegislatorFree
  7. Book 6: Consequences of the Principles of Different GovernmentsFree
  8. Book 7: Sumptuary Laws, Luxury, and WomenFree
  9. Book 8: Corruption of the Principles of GovernmentFree
  10. Book 9: Laws and Defensive ForceFree
  11. Book 10: Laws and Offensive ForceFree
  12. Book 11: Political Liberty and the ConstitutionFree
  13. Book 12: Political Liberty and the SubjectFree
  14. Book 13: Taxes, Public Revenue, and LibertyFree
  15. Book 14: Laws and the Nature of ClimateFree
  16. Book 15: Civil Slavery and ClimateFree
  17. Book 16: Domestic Slavery and ClimateFree
  18. Book 17: Political Servitude and ClimateFree
  19. Book 18: Laws and the Nature of the SoilFree
  20. Book 19: National Spirit, Morals, and CustomsFree
  21. Book 20: Commerce — Nature and DistinctionsFree
  22. Book 21: Commerce — RevolutionsFree
  23. Book 22: The Use of MoneyFree
  24. Book 23: Number of InhabitantsFree
  25. Book 24: Religion in ItselfFree
  26. Book 25: The Establishment of ReligionFree
  27. Book 26: Order of ThingsFree
  28. Book 27: Roman Laws on SuccessionsFree
  29. Book 28: French Civil LawsFree
  30. Book 29: Composing LawsFree
  31. Book 30: Feudal Laws — EstablishmentFree
  32. Book 31: Feudal Laws — RevolutionsFree

Every chapter is free to read. Premium unlocks the full audiobook.

Popular passages

X Facebook