The spirit of monarchy is war and aggrandizement; the spirit of republics is peace and moderation. - Montesquieu

"تحدث مونتسكييو في كتاب "روح القانون" عن أثر المناخ والتربة في حياة الإنسان:

1- المناخ:

المناخ البارد: شجاعة- نقاء النفس- قوة جسدية.

المناخ الحار: جبن- مكر- ضعف.

2- التربة:

يصل تأثير التربة إلى الحد السياسي ونوع الحكومات:

- التربة الخصبة = نظام ملكي وديكتاتورية.

- التربة الفقيرة = نظام جمهوري وديمقراطية.

- سكان الجزر = الاستقلالية والاستقرار."

"Les hommes extrêmement heureux, et les hommes extrêmement malheureux a , sont également portés à la dureté ; témoin les moines et les conquérants. Il n’y a que la médiocrité et le mé- lange de la bonne et de la mauvaise fortune, qui donnent de la douceur et de la pitié."
The Spirit of the Laws, Bk VI, Ch IX

Another much-discussed question is, whether women are intended by nature to be subject to men.“No,” said a very gallant philosopher to me the other day; “nature never dictated any such law.The dominion which we exercise over them is tyrannical; they yield themselves to men only because they are more tender-hearted, and consequently more human and more rational.These advantages, which, had we been reasonable, would, without doubt, have been the cause of their subordination, because we are irrational.

“Now, if it is true that it is a tyrannical power which we have over women, it is none the less true that they exercise over us a natural dominion- that of beauty, which nothing can resist.Our power does not extend to all countries, but that of beauty is universal.Why, then, should we have any privilege?Is it because we are stronger than they?But that would be the height of injustice.We use every possible means to discourage them.Our powers would be found equal if we were educated alike.Try women in those gifts which education has not weakened, and we soon will see which is the abler sex.