Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu

Contents: Introduction; Part I The Persian Letters: Personality and politics in the Persian Letters, Orest Ranum; The idea of nature in the Lettres Persanes, Ronald Grimsley; Montesquieu's story of the troglodytes: its background, meaning and significance, Allessandro S. Crisafulli. Part II Roman History: The design of Montesquieu's considerations: Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and Their Decline, David Lowenthal; Christianity and politics in Montesquieu's Greatness and Decline of the Romans, Richard Myers. Part III The Methodology of The Spirit of Laws: Montesquieu and the problem of 'la diversite', C.P. Courtney; Montesquieu's methodology: holism, individualism, and morality, David Young; Montesquieu's method, Emile Durkheim; Montesquieu's science of politics: absolute values and ethical relativism in L'Esprit des Lois, George Klosko. Part IV Republics: Montesquieu and the classics: republican government in The Spirit of the Laws, David Lowenthal; Virtuous republics and glorious monarchies: 2 models in Montesquieu's political thought, Nannerl O. Keohane; Not so virtuous republics: Montesquieu, Venice, and the theory of aristocratic republicanism, David W. Carrithers; The confederate republic in Montesquieu, Christopher Wolfe. Part V Monarchies: The politics of distinction and disobedience: honor and the defense of liberty in Montesquieu, Sharon Krause; A rhetoric of aristocratic reaction? Nobility in De l'Esprit des Lois, Johnson Kent Wright; Montesquieu and the concept of civil society, Melvin Richter. Part VI Despotisms: Montesquieu's comparative analysis of Europe and Asia: intended and unintended consequences, Melvin Richter; Montesquieu's view of despotism and his use of travel literature, David Young; Fearing monarchs and merchants: Montesquieu's 2 theories of despotism, Roger Boesche. Part VII England: Montesquieu, Bolingbroke, and the separation of powers, Robert Shackleton; Montesquieu, M.J.C. Vile; Montesquieu and the separation of powers, Pierre Manent. Part VIII Religion: Montesquieu's religious ideas, Roger B. Oake; Of believers and barbarians: Montesquieu's enlightened toleration, Diana Schaub. Part IX Commerce, Economics and International Relations: Montesquieu and the wealth of nations, Nicos E. Devletoglou; Commerce, power and justice: Montesquieu on international politics, Stephen J. Rosow. Part X Philosophy of History: Montesquieu's historical pessimism, Gilbert Chinard; Montesquieu's philosophy of history, David Carrithers; Name Index.