The Complete Works of Montesquieu. Electronic Edition. :: Volume I. ::

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Volume I.

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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.

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book V.: that the laws, given by the legislator, ought to be relative to the principle of government.

chap. I.: idea of this book.

chap. II.: what is meant by virtue in a political state.

chap. III.: what is meant by a love of the republic, in a democracy.

chap. IV.: in what manner the love of equality and frugality is inspired.

chap. V.: in what manner the laws establish equality in a democracy.

chap. VI.: in what manner the laws ought to maintain frugality in a democracy.

chap. VII.: other methods of favouring the principle of democracy.

chap. VIII.: in what manner the laws ought to be relative to the principle of government in an aristocracy.

chap. IX.: in what manner the laws are relative to their principle in monarchies.

chap. X.: of the expedition peculiar to the executive power in monarchies.

chap. XI.: of the excellence of a monarchical government.

chap. XII.: the same subject continued.

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chap. XIII.: an idea of despotic power.

chap. XIV.: in what manner the laws are relative to the principles of despotic government.

chap. XV.: the same subject continued.

chap. XVI.: of the communication of power.

chap. XVII.: of presents.

chap. XVIII.: of rewards conferred by the sovereign.

chap. XIX.: new consequences of the principles of the three governments.

book VI.: consequences of the principles of different governments with respect to the simplicity of civil and criminal laws, the form of judgements, 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 which establish 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.

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The Complete Works of Montesquieu. Electronic Edition.

Volume I.

Body

BOOK V.: THAT THE LAWS, GIVEN BY THE LEGISLATOR, OUGHT TO BE RELATIVE TO THE PRINCIPLE OF GOVERNMENT.

CHAP. XIII.: An Idea of despotic Power.

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CHAP. XIII.: An Idea of despotic Power.

WHEN the savages of Louisiana are desirous of fruit, they cut the tree to the root, and gather the

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fruit.^†111 This is an emblem of despotic government.

CHAP. XIII.: An Idea of despotic Power.