Commerce and political participation in Montesquieu's letter to Domville

Presents the first annotated English translation of a letter written by Charles de Montesquieu to William Domville, probably in the summer of 1749. The translation is preceded by a discussion of Montesquieu's ideas on the relationship between middle-class involvement in commercial activity and political participation. Although the wealth derived from commerce had the potential to corrupt the moral principles of persons necessary to the proper administration of republics and monarchies, such activity had the merit of rewarding individual initiative and promoting civic-mindedness when the government was moderate and mixed. The participation in England of what then could already be called the middle class '(les gens médiocres)' in commerce served to preserve the principles and stability of the English government, partly because those who enrich themselves through commerce cannot do so without enriching many others as well.