Commerce and Its Civilizing Effects

From The Spirit of Laws by Montesquieu
Commerce polishes and softens barbarous manners (doux commerce); it produces peace among nations and moderates customs, though it can also corrode certain virtues.
Book XX, Chapter 1

"Commerce is a cure for the most destructive prejudices... wherever the ways of man are gentle (moeurs douces) there is commerce." The doux commerce thesis.

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Book XX, Chapter 2

Commerce produces peace; two nations that trade together become reciprocally dependent.

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Book XXI

Historical account of commerce - traces its progress through ancient and modern history.

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