The Spirit of Laws (1758)

by Montesquieu

For other English-language translations of this work, see The Spirit of Laws.

• Volume I. (Table of Contents)
  • The Translator to the Reader
  • Preface
  • Book I. Of Laws in general.
  • Book II. Of Laws directly derived from the Nature of Government.
  • Book III. Of the principles of the three Kinds of Government.
  • Book IV. That the Laws of Education ought to be relative to the Principles of Government.
  • Book V. That the Laws given by the Legislator ought to be relative to the Principle of Government.
  • Book VI. Consequences of the Principles of different Governments with respect to the Simplicity of civil and criminal Laws, the Form of Judgments, and the inflicting of Punishments.
  • Book VII. Consequences of the different Principles of the three Governments with respect to sumptuary Laws, Luxury, and the Condition of Women.
  • Book VIII. Of the Corruption of the Principles of the three Governments.
  • Book IX. Of Laws in the Relation they bear to a defensive Force.
  • Book X. Of Laws in the relation they bear to Offensive Force.
  • Book XI. Of the Laws that form political Liberty, with regard to the Constitution.
  • Book XII. Of the Laws that form political Liberty as relative to the Subject.
  • Book XIII. Of the Relation which the levying of Taxes, and the Greatness of the public Revenues have to Liberty.
  • Book XIV. Of Laws as relative to the Nature of the Climate.
  • Book XV. In what manner the Laws of civil Slavery are relative to the Nature of the Climate.
  • Book XVI. How the Laws of domestic Slavery have a Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
  • Book XVII. How the Laws of political Servitude have a Relation to the Nature of the Climate.
  • Book XVIII. Of Laws in the Relation they bear to the Nature of the Soil.
  • Book XIX. Of Laws in Relation to the Principles which form the general Spirit, the Morals and Customs of a Nation.
• Volume II.