The Spirit of Laws

The Baron of Montesquieu (1689-1755) was born in a family of provincial French nobles in the late 17th century. At a young age, he already expressed interest in writing and reflection. He began journaling, a habit he kept through his whole life. He was educated in history and the classics at the Collège de Juilly, a private Catholic school, before studying law at the University of Bordeaux and subsequently climbing the ranks through the French judicial system. During this time, Montesquieu also inherited substantial land, in which he carefully cultivated vineyards to sell wine internationally. He spent time in the fashionable Parisian salons where many key figures of the French Enlightenment gathered to discuss science, politics, and philosophy.

In 1728, he left France to tour several European countries. He stayed in England for two years and returned to France in 1731. As is evident in The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu developed great admiration for the English political system, which he frequently uses as a model of right action. In the remaining two decades of his life, Montesquieu dedicated much time to his writing and political research. He died of a fever in 1755 in Paris.