Chapter 1: Difference Between the Government's Nature and Its Principle

After having examined what are the laws relative to the nature of each government, it is necessary to see those which are relative to its principle.

There is this difference (a) between the government's nature and its principle: its nature is that which makes it be such and such; its principle that which makes it act. The one is its particular structure and the other the human passions which cause it to move.

Now, the laws ought to be no less relative to each government's principle than to its nature. Therefore it is necessary to look for this principle. That is what I am going to do in the present book.

Chapter 2: About the Principle of the Different Governments

I have said that the nature of republican government is that there the body of the people or of certain families would have sovereign authority. That of monarchical government is that the prince would have sovereign authority but would exercise it in accord with established laws. That of despotic government is that a single person would govern according to his will and caprice. I need nothing more to discover their principles. They derive naturally from their natures. I will start with republican government, and I will speak first of the democratic.

Chapter 3: About the Principle of Democracy

Not much probity is required to allow a monarchical government or a despotic government to maintain or sustain itself. The strength of the laws in one, the constantly upraised arm of the prince in the other regulate or restrain everything. But, in a popular state a further resource is necessary; that is, VIRTUE.

What I say is confirmed by the whole body of history and is most conformable to the nature of things. For it is clear that, in a monarchy, where he who makes the laws regards himself as above the laws, one requires less virtue than in a popular state, where he who causes the laws to be enforced feels that he is subject to them himself, and that he will bear the weight of them.

It is also clear that the monarch who, by bad advice or by negligence, ceases to cause the execution of the laws, can easily repair the evil.