At a time when proponents of radical change are tempted by the idea of starting from scratch, Montesquieu’s spirit of moderation—the attitude that allows for the broadest openness to the world and the most welcoming embrace—should serve as a lesson for all.
Montesquieu, “a modern thinker” whose struggles (religious tolerance, women’s education, condemnation of despotism…) resonate with the major debates that stir our contemporary societies.
If the 18th-century thinker reminds us that: “It is easier to lean towards extremes and caricature than to weigh one’s judgments,” he praises “openness” in politics in The Spirit of the Laws, his major work: “The sharpness of his insight (…) reminds us of the necessity, before any reform, to be aware of the tremendous changes happening in the world around us.”
And he adds: “It would not only be futile but also dangerous to attempt to act without taking these great transformations into account.”
A message for today?
