Presents information about the treatise "The Spirit of the Laws" (1748), written by French political philosopher Charles Louis de Secondat, also referred to as Baron de La Brede et de Montesquieu (1689-1755). Notes that the treatise contains numerous theories, including respect for the role of history and climate in shaping a nation's political structure. Offers access to a sample of "The Spirit of the Laws," which reflects his view on the English Constitution.
The Spirit of the Laws is, without question, one of the central texts in the history of eighteenth-century thought, yet there has been no complete, scholarly English-language edition since that of Thomas Nugent, published in 1750. This lucid translation renders Montesquieu's problematic text newly accessible to a fresh generation of students, helping them to understand quite why Montesquieu was such an important figure in the early enlightenment and why The Spirit of the Laws was, for example, such an influence upon those who framed the American constitution. Fully annotated, this edition focuses attention upon Montesquieu's use of sources and his text as a whole, rather than upon those opening passages towards which critical energies have traditionally been devoted, and a select bibliography and chronology are provided for those coming to Montesquieu's work for the first time.
One of the landmark works of the eighteenth century, De L'Esprit des Lois had an immeasurable influence on jurisprudence and political thought, especially in America. It contained provocative and wide-ranging ideas on the sociology of law, the separation of political powers and the need for checks on a powerful executive office. First published in Geneva in 1748, it remains one of the most significant studies of political and legal theory ever written.
The Spirit of Laws, first published in 1750, is a detailed treatise on the structures and theory of government by French political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu. Unlike his well-loved Persian Letters, The Spirit of Laws scandalized the French-it was even banned by the Roman Catholic Church. The fact that it is hardly dated to modern readers is a testament to how revolutionary it must have seemed 250 years ago. Among its comparisons of different forms of governments, such as monarchies, despotic regimes, and republics, is the now-famous section on Montesquieu's concept of the separation of powers, dividing the ruling body into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Also included is the author's thinking on slavery, religion in government, families and censuses, the influence of climate on politics and culture, and the making of laws. A powerful influence on the framers of the U.S. Constitution, this classic work will appeal to history buffs and anyone interested in the roots of modern political theory and government. CHARLES-LOUIS DE SECONDAT, BARON DE MONTESQUIEU (1689-1755), born in the South of France and often known simply as Montesquieu, was a political philosopher and social commentator known for his influential political views, especially for his "separation of power" theory, still used today in constitutions around the world. Some of his best-known work, the satirical Persian Letters, which made fun of life in Paris under Louis XIV, delighted France in the 1720s.
The Spirit of the Laws is without question one of the central texts in the history of eighteenth-century thought, yet there has been no complete scholarly English language edition since 1750. This lucid translation renders Montesquieu's problematic text newly accessible to a fresh generation of students, helping them to understand why Montesquieu was such an important figure in the early enlightenment and why The Spirit of the Laws was such an influence on those who framed the American Constitution. Fully annotated, this edition focuses on Montesquieu's use of sources and his text as a whole, rather than on those opening passages toward which critical energies have traditionally been devoted.
From birth certificates and marriage licenses to food safety regulations and speed limits, law shapes nearly every moment of our lives. Ubiquitous and ambivalent, the law is charged with both maintaining social order and protecting individual freedom. In this book, Cynthia L. Cates and Wayne V. McIntosh explore this ambivalence and document the complex relationship between the web of law and everyday life. They consider the forms and functions of the law, charting the American legal structure and judicial process, and explaining key legal roles. They then detail how it influences the development of individual identity and human relationships at every stage of our life cycle, from conception to the grave. The authors also use the word "web" in its technological sense, providing a section at the end of each chapter that directs students to relevant and useful Internet sites. Written for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in law and society courses, Law and the Web of Society contains original research that also makes it useful to scholars. In daring to ask difficult questions such as "When does life begin?" and "Where does law begin?" this book will stimulate thought and debate even as it presents practical answers.
Douglas Pike, an eminent authority on Southeast Asia and particularly on Vietnam, wrote: “Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan is a highly respected economist and political thinker. Even perhaps for our purpose here, he is a man of great breadth of view, a philosopher in the true meaning of the word...” In America Coming to Terms, Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan addresses himself to the central issue of the Vietnam War. This ambitious study seeks to place the U.S. involvement in Vietnam into the broader context of American and world history. The legacy of the Vietnam War remains a critical topic, particularly with the war in Iraq generating the specter of conflicting partisan politics in a deeply divided country. America’s involvement in Vietnam was misunderstood at the time and is still misrepresented now. As the Iraq War often invites comparisons with the Vietnam War, a full understanding of the U.S. experience in Vietnam is essential. More importantly, lessons learned from Vietnam can be applied to Iraq at present as well as to any U.S. conflict in the future. America Coming to Terms will help the American public to better understand the real legacy of the Vietnam War. It will provide Americans – liberal as well as conservative, Democrat as well as Republican – with substantive reasons to be united and to be proud of America. Most importantly, it will meaningfully impact the writing of American history for future generations and change for the better the world’s perception of the American people and of America. Steven Hayward, a most distinguished scholar wrote: “Revisionist historians two or three generations from now are likely to begin making the argument that the United States won the ultimate victory in the Vietnam War, and that it should be seen as the turning point in the Cold War...” In America Coming to Terms, Dr. Tuan set the record straight that – notwithstanding a number of mistakes that were committed – not only America won the Cold War but, ultimately, also won the Vietnam War.
Today, the basic ideas underpinning democracy--that government exists for the benefit of the people, and that it must have their consent to be legitimate--may seem obvious. Even dictators pay lip service to these ideas. But the logic of democracy hasn't always been widely accepted. In fact, throughout most of recorded history, nearly all rulers claimed absolute authority. This book traces the long evolution of government "by the people," from its roots in the ancient world to the present day.
This thesis examines the exponential increase in the power of the presidency during wartime from the time of the Founding Fathers up until the beginning of the Obama administration. It focuses on the ways in which our Nation's wartime presidents have marginalized the role of Congress and the judiciary during foreign conflicts. The first half of this work analyzes the actions of wartime presidents from a historical context, which is supplemented in the second half by an in-depth comparative discussion of the actions taken by the Bush administration during the War on Terror. This work concludes by recommending detailed courses of action to be pursued by future presidents in order to restore the fundamental maxim of checks and balances.
America is being consumed by entitlement spending. This important issue is surveyed in America’s Addiction to Entitlements: Not What the Governed Meant.Seventeeth- and eighteenth-century philosophers studied civilizations and governance. Their observations and studies gave tremendous insight into the nature of man. Following in the footsteps of these philosophers, founders of the United States of America forged a new governance model, where individual sovereignty and personal liberty enabled man a glimpse of his own potential if unabated by the tyranny and oppression of government.However, liberal progressive American ideologies have facilitated a slow decline from the heights of true freedom to a new level of slavery. Social programs with good intentions have led free men into chronic dependency and have destroyed the independent character that was uniquely American.Political ideologies between conservatives and liberals are now battling for the will of the people. Can America regain its stature as the land of the free and the home of the brave?
