Montesquieu and the Spirit of Modernity, Volume 2002David Wallace Carrithers, Patrick Coleman Crucial to an understanding of Montesquieu's work is the contrast he drew between ancient and modern mentalit s. 'Les politiques grecs, ' he wrote in his classic work De l'esprit des lois (1748), 'qui vivaient dans le gouvernement populaire, ne reconnaissaient d'autre force qui p t les soutenir que celle de la vertu. Ceux d'aujourd'hui ne nous parlent que de manufactures, de commerce, de finances, de richesses et de luxe meme.' Ancient philosophers had conceptualised model regimes where human beings would flourish in accordance with their natural purposes and potentialities shaped by good laws well obeyed. Such moderns as Montesquieu, on the other hand, ceased to regard the state as a school for morality. No longer concerned with improving man's soul, politics focused instead on the achievement of liberty, security and material prosperity. Clearly something novel and distinctive, something recognisably 'modern', arose during the period from Machiavelli to Montesquieu. A teleological universe suffused with transcendent meaning and purposeful ends was supplanted by a more secular, 'disenchanted' world-view. Both the Christian conception of a life lived in humble devotion to the moral commandments of revealed religion and the classical conception of a virtuous life devoted to ethical perfection were challenged by a new political realism stressing the dominance of the passions over reason and the constructive potential of self-interest. The authors of the eleven essays comprising this volume explore the complex relations between Montesquieu and modernity and between Montesquieu and antiquity. Assessing the content of his three major works, they conclude that whereas the label 'modern' suits Montesquieu, he nonetheless retained certain philosophical approaches characteristic of antiquity as well as a high regard for the primacy accorded to politics and philosophy in the classical era. |
Contents
the Lettres persanes | 37 |
JAMES W MULLER The political economy of republicanism | 61 |
DIANA J SCHAUB The regime and Montesquieus principles | 77 |
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ancien régime ancient Aristotle autres avait Bayle bien c'est choses citizens classical Claude Nicolet commerce Considérations d'autres d'une debt despotism deux Diana Schaub différents doit Durkheim effet eighteenth century Encyclopédie Enlightenment esprit essay été être faire fait faut femmes finances France French général grand hommes honour human individual intérêts jamais justice l'esprit des lois l'Etat l'harmonie l'histoire l'homme l'honneur l'intérêt l'on laws législateur Leo Strauss les lois Lettres persanes liberty livres Louis Louis XIV luxe Mandeville manières Mémoire ment modern mœurs monarchy monde Montes Montesquieu moral n'est nation nature naturelle Œuvres complètes Paris Parlement passions Pensées peuples peut philosophy political politique polyandry polygamy pouvoir premier principle privés qu'elle qu'il qu'on qu'un quieu raison regime religion republic republican république Revolution rien Roger Caillois Roman seule siècle social société taille tesquieu tion tout trouve vertu vices virtue voir Voltaire