Thinkers and the Revolution

Amar Murray

On the second day of my visit to Bordeaux, during my journey through the year 1748, I decided to return to the café. The day before, I had attended a gathering where the great philosopher Montesquieu spoke about liberty and equality, then stayed to talk with one of his followers. I wanted to continue that conversation, to understand more of Montesquieu's thought and philosophy, and ultimately to consider how far his ideas would shape the French Revolution.

I arrived and looked around for my companion. He sat in the same place, in the same posture, as though the scene were repeating itself to remind me how deeply habit governs our lives.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Good morning. How are you, my friend?”

“Very well. But my curiosity will not rest. I want to learn more about Monsieur Montesquieu.”

“Gladly. Anyone who hears or reads these new ideas with a mind open to truth and a spirit of inquiry is bound to be unsettled by the desire to know. The thirst for understanding can keep a person awake until it is satisfied.”

“Could you tell me something of Montesquieu himself, and of his thought?”

“He comes from an exceptionally wealthy noble family. His father was an officer descended from a long line of nobles and served as a chief judge. When his father died, Montesquieu was twenty-four and inherited a considerable fortune. A year later, he entered the Parlement of Bordeaux as a member and judge. Then, in 1716, his uncle died, leaving him both his wealth and his position as president of the Parlement.

“His passion for scientific inquiry was considerable. He conducted experiments in physics, physiology and geology with the University of Bordeaux. You can trace the influence of that scientific knowledge in his writing. His wealth sustained research that benefited humanity; it did not become an instrument of dissipation or corruption.”

“That is a striking distinction. It reveals the scholar's integrity. Wealth and standing become resources for developing ideas and undertaking work that serves humanity, whereas for most people they are ends in themselves. Could you give me a brief account of his books and ideas?”

“Certainly. His first book, Persian Letters, carried his reputation far and wide. Its two principal characters, Rica and Usbek, are Persian travelers in France. Through their correspondence with people in Isfahan, they describe what they encounter in a spirit of satire and criticism. In those letters, Montesquieu examines both East and West and the customs of each. Usbek's reflections lead him to the conclusion that government is necessary, but cannot fulfill its purpose unless both rulers and those they govern possess civic virtue.

“The religious criticism is sharp. Usbek observes that Black people imagine God as Black and the devil as white, while white people imagine the reverse. He mocks monks and prevailing religious beliefs in East and West alike, whether Christian or Muslim.

“He then turns to politics, portraying the king as a magician who has persuaded people that paper is money. The king has corrupted his courtiers and encouraged the nobility's idleness. Montesquieu exposes the court's corruption and extravagance, the inactivity of the nobles, and the mismanagement of the state. He praises the republics of ancient Greece and the modern republics of Switzerland and the Netherlands.”

“It is extraordinary. The book is a resounding call for freedom, a powerful precedent for breaking the restraints on thought, exercising reason and questioning what the mind has made sacred. He is regarded as one of the earliest writers to take this course, and his influence on the intellectual awakening has been immense. What else can you tell me?”

“His new and deeply unsettling book, The Spirit of the Laws, which we discussed yesterday, was initially prohibited from publication. It was therefore printed in Geneva before permission was granted for it to appear in Paris. It is among the most widely read and best-selling books of our time.

“Now you must forgive me. I have to leave, but we shall continue our conversation another day.”

“Thank you for your time, sir. Until we meet again.”

The book provoked a controversy that swept across France. Philosophers, intellectuals and religious figures divided into supporters and opponents. The bitterest criticism, however, came from the clergy, who argued that its contents contradicted Scripture. They accused Montesquieu of heresy and of disbelief in angels, revelation and prophets. In response, he published A Defence of The Spirit of the Laws in 1750.

Gibbon wrote: “In the forty years since the publication of The Spirit of the Laws, no book has been more eagerly read.” Gibbon, Blackstone and Burke all drew on Montesquieu's writings. Frederick the Great ranked the book second only to The Prince.

Will Durant, the author of The Story of Civilization, writes: “For a generation, Montesquieu, not Voltaire, was the voice and champion of reason in France.”

Montesquieu was profoundly influenced by his travels in Switzerland, the Netherlands and England. He spent half of that journey in England, where he greatly admired the political system and the freedom enjoyed by the English. During his stay, he formed friendships with prominent members of society, was elected to the Royal Society in London, and was received by King George II and Queen Caroline.

It is often said that Montesquieu and his book supplied the spirit and the revered constitutional foundations of the French Revolution. In the next essay, we shall consider how ideas influence revolutions, taking Montesquieu's thought and its effects on the French Revolution's outlook and passions as our point of departure.

To be continued.

Publication and translation

The Arabic original appeared in Canadian Days on 22 May 2018. Read the original publication.

This English translation was prepared directly from the Arabic in September 2026. It preserves the historical claims and interpretations of the original archival essay. Quotations are translated as they appear in the Arabic text.